


A Cupid's Job

by Strange_Hearts



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Bonnie Bashing, F/M, Original Character - Freeform, Romance, Stefan Bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-01
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-19 22:59:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 35,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/578545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strange_Hearts/pseuds/Strange_Hearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <b>"You probably think all cupids force people to be together, and you would be partially correct, but we do it for the good of the people...and for our own sanity."</b>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sanity and Reason

**Author's Note:**

> **_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries._ **
> 
> **_This fic follows the plot of the first season after the first chapter, but does so with Delena flavoring straight from the beginning._ **

_Cupid. God how I hate being called that, though that is what I am. I, Amora, am a cupid. Amora is my actual name, if you didn't realize. Anyways, I am a cupid_

_Now, I know what your probably thinking. You probably thing that cupids force people together, and you would be partially right, but we do it for the good of the people…and our own sanity._

_Yeah, your probably confused at that last part. Most would be. See, as a cupid, it's our job to match people and vampires together. Now, most times we do this silently, invisible to those around while we do this, though, in some cases, it takes more. Plus, not everyone is matched with their better half before they make foolish decisions._

_Now, before you ask, no, not every better match is a soul mate match. In all honestly, matching soul mates together is rare, rarer than anything I've ever known. See, soul mates are actually souls that were once together, but did something so terrible that they were ripped apart, forced to be unable to be together until they right the wrong they did. I think the only thing that ever allows soul mates to be together before they right the wrong is when one, or both, souls become vampires._

_The whole live forever unless killed thing means that they are very likely to run into their soul mate, though it doesn't always happen, especially if the vampire pisses off the wrong people._

_So, instead, we pair people up with their best matches. Normally, we pair humans with humans, and vampires with vampires, though we sometimes mix it. Of course, that doesn't mean that every pairing that is done is really the best for that person, especially if their actual soul mate is alive and if the people actually know each other._

_In all truth, we don't know who the person's soul mate is until we try pairing them with someone when their soul's mate is known to then – basically when the person we are trying to find someone for has met the person who hold's the twin to their own soul. More often then not, we end up pairing them with someone else._

_And that's were things get hectic. See, when we pair up someone with another person who isn't their soul mate when their soul mate is right there, we know when the pairing is wrong, though it's a gradual thing. In fact, it can be months before we realize it, since, most often then not, the person figures it out on their own, and usually falls and gets with their soul mate. It's when they don't do it themselves that a cupid's job gets difficult._

_See, when soul mates don't automatically get together, and when one person refuses to listen to their soul – and, sequentially, their heart, since the heart always agrees with the soul – cupids know. They know because this high-pitched whistling sound that makes you want to cover your ears because of the shrillness, as well as makes you believe that your eardrums will burst, begins._

_We cupids call it a soul's cry, since, to us, it's the sound souls make when their paired with someone other their soul mate. We only hear it when the soul mates are both near each other and that the people know each other. In all honestly, this is usually when a vampire human pairing occurs._

_Now, it appears that I've completely screwed up, as I've been hearing the crying of a soul, one whose owner is trying to force it to be what it wants it to be. Which is why I'm on my way to Mystic Falls, Virginia. As my job tells me to do, I have to figure out who the soul belongs to, and try to fix what's going on._

_Well, actually, I just have to fix what's going on, for I know whose soul is crying already. I sighed, already know that I would have to do something underhandedly in order to fix the problem because the owner of this soul that's crying, the owner is Elena Gilbert, someone whom I never matched with someone, but who is extremely stubborn._

_I have my work cut out ahead of me. I can already tell, and I have to wonder why it's me who has to fix the mistake of another cupid, for I know that it was the work of another cupid that caused this soul cry. I knew that for a fact._

_Damn. Not only is this getting ridiculous, but I'm beginning to wonder if there's something I'm missing here, if they're some kind of knowledge that I don't have that's keeping them apart. As much as I want the screaming to stop, I'm going to need to know what this missing knowledge is. I can't continue to try and put them together if I don't have all of the facts._

_I just hope that, between trying to figure out what that other cupid had been thinking – for I haven't forgotten that it was their fault that Elena's soul is crying because of them; a good cupid doesn't just pair someone up and leave without making sure that the pairing is right – and finding my missing information, that something doesn't go wrong._

_It would definitely count as a failure if I don't fix this mistake before the crying drives me insane._

–

_I haven't figured out either answer to the questions I have, though I have my suspicions. I have noticed that Stefan's true soul mate, Katherine, has been ignored by him. I do not know why he is ignoring her, though I have a feeling that his want for Elena is the cause, but it has made her rather vengeful. Though she is trapped in the tomb that she was supposed to be trapped in before, it is only a matter of time before she is released. I have watched John Gilbert, Elena's biological father and the murderer of Jeremy's soul mate, go down to the tomb and talk to her, something that I can not fathom, especially for a vampire hater._

_How can he want to help Katherine, a vampire who had planned on turning Elena in to Klaus out of jealousy – for though the others would deny such a fact, as a cupid, I could feel the truth behind her reasons for such an action – when he hates them? He had been planning on killing Elena's soul mate, had killed Jeremy's soul mate. Why would he help her?_

_However, it is not my place to find out those answers. My place is placing soul together with their mates. I could find out my answers if I didn't have to put Elena's soul with its match. So, until I get that task done, I will put it into the back of my mind. I have other things to worry about more than reasons why John Gilbert does what he does._

–

_Still in the dark about Elena's reasoning for ignoring her soul – and I know that she feels that her soul is unhappy. I can see it in her eyes whenever she hugs Stefan, or is about to kiss him, or whenever she looks at Damon. I can see that she feels it's wrong when she hugs Stefan, that there is indecision in her eyes before they kiss, and that there is longing in her glance whenever she looks at Damon._

_There have been times that I want to walk up to her and slap her whenever I notice this, that I want to shake her and ask why she won't listen to what her heart and soul obviously wants. It is idiotic when it takes a cupid's interference beyond the normal 'push' we give to people, whether the person is a soul mate or just the best match. Usually, just our very presence is enough to get people 'fix up', which is good because we are forbidden from actually interaction with our charges._

_Which is also why I'm surprised she's lasted this long. The only thing that can cause people to ignore their souls is…well, is when a cupid breaks the no contact rule. Damn, it looks like I've unintentionally figured out part of the reason why she hasn't listened to her heart. There is a reason for the no contact rule – when a cupid does have actual contact with their charges, any 'pushing' they do is multiplied. It's almost like vampire compulsion in a way, only stronger, harder to break, and it doesn't leave a person with the feeling of being compelled if the person isn't told to forget things, not that a person would remember meeting a cupid._

_Of course, even knowing this doesn't help me much. Obviously, there was something more than just a cupid's contact – I've been here long enough that any of the compulsion left over should have faded. No, she's fighting for another reason. I just have to figure out what that reason is._

–

_Yes! I finally know! I've finally figured out the reason behind Elena's reluctance to listening to her soul. And just in time too. Between the fact that Katherine has been playing mind games with Damon, Stefan, and Elena and the fact that I'm just about to hit the end of my sanity from her soul's cries, well, I was afraid that I would never figure it out._

_However, I have to admit that, upon finding out the reason behind it, I had to get away from Mystic Falls for a couple of days due to the fact that I just wanted to walk up to her and shake her until she realized how stupid she was being. Despite what she believes, moving on from one brother to another would not make her like Katherine. In truth, she would only be Katherine if she was with both of them, hiding it from the other and playing with them, promising to choose when she really wouldn't/ didn't plan to be with them much longer._

_I knew that was what Katherine's original plan was, as I had always seen her do. In fact, the fact that she had even given either of them her blood was surprising, though I suspected that, while giving Damon her blood was a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing, a cupid is responsible for her sudden need to make sure that Stefan had her blood as well. It's obvious that she sensed that he was important to her, even if she didn't know in what way._

_Well, know knowing this, I know what I have to do now, and I have to admit that I am not going to like it all that much. Normally, I would find add an extra push in her direction, and figure out a way to get Stefan out of the picture without him dying, but I have a feeling that it wouldn't work as much as I wish it would. So, I'm going to have to do option two, which is the option others use when option one doesn't or won't work very well – if Stefan wasn't willing to leave Elena alone as he should of, I know that he won't just leave her without letting her know that he will eventually come back, which would defeat the purpose. Even if threatened not to, I have a feeling that he would find a way._

_Katherine tried that anyways, and ended up having to follow through on her threat because they didn't take it seriously. I know that he's too selfish and an idiot to even believe anything I would say, plus he would most likely try to kill me if I did try to keep them apart. He's too deluded, and has too strong of a hold on her – if I'm honest, I'm partially afraid that he's subtly done compulsion on her. Not in an obvious way, but in a hardly noticeable way. Honestly, the minute Katherine threatened those Elena love should have responded in an immediate break up between them, not a half-ass attempt._

_I know that it was Stefan who suggested that they only do a pretend break up, having heard it. Now, I realize that I should have interfered then, as it would have been the best time to help her realize the truth. Instead, I hoped that she would naturally drift away from Stefan to Damon on her own. It was an idiotic thought, I admit. I was even more of an idiot when I didn't take advantage of the fact that Stefan had gotten trapped in the tomb – if I was allowed to actually contact Elena, I would let her know that Stefan was hiding the fact that he wasn't exactly…unhappy when he was in the tomb. In fact, he was the opposite of unhappy at the time._

_Anyways, knowing what I have to do. I just wish that there was another way besides this one._

* * *

Amora finished writing in her journal with a frown on her face, setting the pen down as she closed and locked it. She wasn't kidding when she wrote her wish for another way. Reorganizing time wasn't the easiest thing to do, nor was making sure that the things that needed to change did without causing those that didn't to stay the same. You had to be careful when doing so; if you did something wrong, it could cause worst consequences than anyone could dream of.

Sighing, she placed the journal into her bag, carefully looking around herself to make sure that she didn't attract attention before hurrying away towards her car. While she wished to do otherwise, she would have to get into contact with Marishka, her 'handler', for lack of better term. Marishka was the one who I not only reported to when I finished my 'job' properly, but who I was to go to if I needed to inform her about a problem or needed time to be turned backwards. And, unfortunately, I needed to do the latter two options.

I knew that Marishka wouldn't be bothered by my request for the time turning – it wasn't an uncommon request among cupids. The information of a cupid misusing their ability, however, wouldn't be treated in the same way. A cupid's abilities were supposed to be used for the good of the people, to help them find their soul's mate, or, if their soul's mate doesn't exist yet, to pair them with the closest match to their soul. To misuse and abuse that ability – to throw souls that don't belong together with each other for your own selfish want was a capitol offense for a cupid to do. I didn't really want to think about what Marishka would do when I told her what I'd learned while in Mystic Falls.

* * *

I stood just before the circle, taking a deep breath to prepare myself for what I was about to do. I had been right when I'd informed Marishka what I needed to tell her. She had given me her blessing to turn back time, and had been overly pissed at the fact that one of us had done something so horrible.

I cleared that out of my mind. Now wasn't the time to think about it. Instead, I should concentrate on the task ahead of me. I would need to be in the right mind frame. If I wasn't, I would end up causing problems. Taking deep breaths, I cleared my mind of everything but the date of where I wanted time to stop at.

When she was prepared, Amora stepped into the circle.


	2. First Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Pilot Episode of Vampire Diaries, changed to fit into a Delena flavoring. ******

_Dear diary,_

_I made it through the day. I must have said, "I'm fine, thanks" at least thirty-seven times. And I didn't mean it once. But no one noticed. When someone asks, "How are you?" they don't really want an answer._

Elena finished writing, when a cawing noise made her jump. She look up. A crow stood on top of her parents' gravestone. She softly sighed, her heart returning to normal rate.

"Okay, hi, bird. That's not creepy or anything," she muttered to herself. "Shoo!"

The crow jumped, looking like it was about to take off. "That's what I thought," she muttered, turning back to her diary. She didn't notice that the crow didn't take off like she had expected it too.

Instead, the crow stayed there, seemingly to look at her as she went back to her diary. However, before she could continue to write, she noticed something weird happening. Mist was beginning to creep along the ground, heading towards her and covering the place. She stood up, slightly fearful and creeped out.

"Okay, guess it's time to go," she muttered to herself, hurrying away. She had taken a few steps into the woods when the feeling of eyes on her had her looking behind her, where she could have sworn she saw someone standing there. It was a barely there shadow, tall and male shaped. A strange feeling came over her, almost as if something was drawing her towards the shadow. She took a few steps in that direction, almost entranced, when the mist swirled up once again, blocking her view for just a second.

When the mist settled at her feet once more, the space was empty.

_Okay, definitely seeing things_ she thought, turning back the way she had originally been heading. She calmly walked down the rather steep incline, but the dense mist made it hard for her to know where to place her feet, and she suddenly tripped, falling head over feet down. She turned to her side, forcing herself to roll down that way, minimizing any and all injury.

She hit a tree, which stopped her fall.

"Oh, ow," she said, slowly sitting up while rubbing her hand against her side. She got lucky; the bag in which she had brought that held her journal and the pencil she was using saved her from being injured by the tree as well. As she was about to stand, she heard a twig crack, and looked up, her eyes immediately locking on Stefan Salvatore.

"You okay," he asked, reaching her. She nodded, her eyes coming up to meet his green ones. Stefan Salvatore was the new kid at school. Everyone was interested in the orphan who had just to live with his uncle at the Salvatore boarding house. Everyone, that is, other than Elena.

Her first meeting with him was rather embarrassing, with her having just exited the boys bathroom after following her stoned brother on there. Before that, she and Bonnie had been looking at his back, a very hot back, according to Bonnie; Elena hadn't shared in her opinion. Then, he had pretty much stared at her during history.

Normally, a guy as cute as him would garner her attention, but, to be honest, he weirded her out quite a bit. First, when she had left the boys bathroom, he had stared at her, almost as if he knew who she was, though not quite; then, his staring during class. It made her think he was a stalker. She also got the sense that he was hiding something for her when they talked earlier, but what, she didn't know.

"Were you following me?" she asked him, forgetting to bother with pleasantries. He looked confused; however, she thought she saw just a bit of shame in his face as well.

"No, I, uh, I just…I saw you fall," he said. She didn't believe him. While she knew that he probably wasn't the one watching her – she didn't feel the connection she had before – she was still suspicious of him.

"Uh-huh, and you just happen to be hanging out in a cemetery," she commented. His face suddenly became tight, defensive, and it took him a second to reply.

"I'm visiting," he finally said. "I have family here."

She flinched. Wow, talk about being tackless. She should have realized that, as the Salvatores were one of the founding families of Mystic Falls. Of course he would have some here. Yet, even with this rather feasible excuse, she got the feeling that he was still lying. Plus, the fact that the Salvatore graves were too far away for him to have notice her fall as she did – they were on the other side of the graveyard.

"I'm sorry," she said anyways, mostly so that he didn't realize that she knew he wasn't being completely truthful. "It's the fog, it's making me foggy. And then back there, there was this bird, and it was all very Hitchcock for a second. That is the bird movie, right, The Hitchcock? I'm Elena."

Stefan smiled at her, showing that he was buying into her excuses. She was very hard pressed not to roll her eyes; she knew that she would be relaying this event to Caroline and Bonnie later.

"I'm Stefan," he said, introducing himself though it was unneeded. She already knew his name.

"I know. We have History together," she said.

"And English and French," he admended.

"Right," she said, having forgotten about those classes. Of course, it was rather easy to forget he was in them when he wasn't about to stare at her so much, as he sat in front of her in both classes rather than behind. She realized she was still on the ground, and went to stand.

"Oh," he said, holding out his hand to help her. Not really wanting to, she still allowed him to pull her up.

"Thanks," she said. "Nice ring." Her eyes were on the rather interesting ring he wore on his right index finger. It was rather ugly looking.

"Oh. Um, it's a family ring," he said, coming up with a lie rather quickly. "Yeah, I'm kind of stuck with it. It's weird, hun?"

"No, no. It's just, I mean, there are rings and then there's that." She hoped he didn't say anything else, as she was already getting bored with talking to him. Then, something strange happened. He took in a rather deep breath, and froze.

"Did you hurt yourself?" he asked suddenly, so suddenly that she didn't really catch what he said.

"Hmm?" she said.

"Did you hurt yourself?" he repeated, pointing down at her feet and ankles. I

"Oh, uh, I don't know," she said, suddenly aware of a pain in her right ankle. She limped over to the stump of a cut down tree, and lifted her foot to rest on it, pulling up her pant leg to see that she had indeed been hurt. It looked horribly scraped up, made worse by the dirt she could see had gotten into it.

"Oh! Look at that. That is not pretty." She looked over to see him suddenly fidgety, looking, for all the world, like he wanted to be somewhere else. "You okay?" she asked..

"You should go, take care of that," he said, motioning towards her ankle. She looked at it.

"Really, it's nothing," she said, then realized that it was an opening that would get her out of the uncomfortable talk the two had been having. "Oh second thought, yeah, perhaps I should," she amended, looking up to where he was, only to see him gone.

_Huh. Seems like he can't handle blood all that well_ she thought, having noticed that he hadn't stayed around long once she had uncovered the wound. _At least I have a way of getting rid of him quickly._ She signed, pulling her pant leg down and turned to head home, needing to clean and bandage the wound before it could get any worse. She didn't notice how much lighter her bag was as she walked.

Arriving home, she immediately saw that Jenna was also home.

"Hey," she said, heading up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Your limping. Why are you limping?" Jenna immediately said.

"Just took a small spill, that all," she said, continuing up to her bathroom, where she cleaned her wound and bandaged it. Then, she went to her room, where she began to do her homework that she had put off earlier.

* * *

I'm meeting Bonnie at the grill," she told her aunt as she headed back down the stairs. Night had fallen, and she remembered her promise to meet Bonnie and Caroline at the grill.

"Okay, have fun," Jenna said, then seemed to remember something. "Wait, I've got this. Don't stay out late, it's a school night."

"Well done, Aunt Jenna," Elena said, looking as if she way about to laugh. She didn't, knowing that her aunt was trying. Her poor aunt, who was only a few years older than her, forced into a role she just wasn't ready for. She walked and opened the door, coming face to face with Stefan.

"Oh," she said, startled. _How did he know where I lived_ she thought, startled.

Sorry, I was about to knock. I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was…strange," he said.

"No worries," she answered _it wasn't so much as strange but welcome_ was the unfinished rest of the sentence. "I get it, blood makes you squeamish."

"Um, something like that. How's your leg?" he asked.

"Oh, it's fine. Just a scratch, barely," she answered, then asked, "How did you know where I lived?"

"It's a small town," he said, then admitted, "I asked the first person I saw. Um, I thought you might want this back."

He held up her journal. Her eyes widened with surprise. How in hell did he get that? She put it back into her bag. She thought about questioning him about it, then realized that it wouldn't get her any answered. Instead, she acted like there as nothing wrong about him having it.

"Oh, I must have dropped it. I – Thank you," she said, reaching and taking it from him. She tried to discretely see if it had been read, but she must have not done so as well as she thought about it, because he said, "Don't worry, I didn't…read it."

_That's a I read it confirmation right there_ she thought, having noticed how he paused, and how he tried to deny it. He couldn't hide the truth from showing in his eyes.

"No? Why not? Most people would have," she said, trying to get him to tell the truth.

"Well, I wouldn't' want anyone to read mine," he said, skirting around the question a bit. Still, the admission stunned her. Most guys wouldn't admit to keeping a journal as easily as he did.

"You have a journal?" she blurted out without thinking. It just sounded so unbelievable. She mentally kicked herself, realizing that it made her sound interested in him.

"Yeah, if I don't write it down, I forget it. Memories are too important to really forget," he said, sounding as if he was trying to impress her.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna, um, I'm gonna go put this into my room," she said.

"Sorry, were you going somewhere?" he asked, having just noticed that she was dressed to go out, wearing something very nice.

"Yeah, I'm meeting a friend," she said, "Um, thank you, again, for bringing this to me. Bye."

She shut the door gently before heading up to her room, putting the diary there, and heading back down. She was surprised to see that Stefan was still there.

"Um, I was wondering if I could walk with you to where your meeting you friend, if it's alright?" he asked nervously. She wanted to say no, but knew that it would be rude to do so, and allowed him to do so, telling him that she was going to the Grill.

* * *

Elena entered the Grill with Stefan, immediately seeing Bonnie standing next to Matt, who, upon seeing her with Stefan, looked a bit lost. She saw him turn to Bonnie and say something before heading over to them.

"Hey, I'm Matt," he said, introducing himself to Stefan. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi. I'm Stefan," Stefan said politely, as Elena slid away from them and towards Bonnie.

"What's this?" Bonnie whispered as she and Elena walked over to the table where Caroline sat, looking very unhappy.

"I ran into him at the cemetery, and dropped my diary without realizing it. He returned it to me, and then asked to walk her with me. It would have rude not to except," Elena said.

"Well, I hope you know what your doing. Caroline's already planning her wedding to him," Bonnie said.

"She can have him. I'm not very interested in him," Elena whispered back, so quietly that no one, not even Stefan, heard her other than Bonnie. They arrived at the table, where pleasantries were exchanged with Caroline, though no one could say that Caroline's were fake as she talked to Elena. They spoke to each other for a few minutes before Caroline called for Stefan.

"Hey, want to hang out with us?" she asked.

"Sure," he said, and Caroline moved to make room for him. He still tried to sit next to Elena, who purposely didn't move to make room for him, making him only have the option of placing him next to Caroline.

"So, what made you come here" Caroline asked, and Elena tuned her out as Caroline interrogated him, only tuning back in when he mentioned that he had been born there.

"So, you were born here in Mystic Falls?" Caroline said.

"Mm-hmm. And moved when I was still young," Stefan added.

"And your related to the Salvatores who helped make the town?" Caroline asked. Stefan nodded.

"Where are your parents?" Bonnie asked.

"My parents passed away," he answered.

"I'm sorry," Elena said, simply because she knew how it felt. "Any siblings?"

"None," he lied. Elena immediately picked up upon that little fact, but didn't say anything.

"I live with my uncle," he continued, unaware of Elena's suddenly disinterest. She really didn't want to be around someone who lied about things like family. Of course, neither Bonnie nor Caroline noticed it either – in fact, Bonnie was thinking about how good Stefan would be for Elena, despite the fact that Caroline wanted him. Bonnie was only thinking that he was good for Elena because of his obvious interest in Elena.

"So, Stefan, if your new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow," Caroline said.

"It's a back to school thing at the falls," Bonnie added. Stefan turned to Elena.

"Are you going?" he asked, unintentionally snubbing the other two girls, for he was making it very clear that he would only go if Elena did. While this didn't make Caroline very happy, it did for Bonnie, who was already setting the two up in her mind.

"Of course she is," Bonnie said before Elena could say anything, and Stefan smiled at her. Elena had to work hard to keep her distaste from showing, giving him the fakest smile she could. The small talk went on for a while before Elena realized that it was getting late.

I've got to get home," she said, and then, seeing Stefan open his mouth, she plowed on. "Bonnie, walk with me? I've got something to talk to you about."

"Sure," Bonnie said slowly at Elena's pleading look, having been about to refuse, for she had also seen the Stefan about to say something. Caroline, who was originally going to walk home with Bonnie, despite the fact that they lived on opposite ends of the town, was about to say something when Elena said, "Oh, and Stefan, can you walk Caroline home, make sure she gets there safe?"

Caroline jumped at the chance to have Stefan alone with her. "Ooh, yes, will you walk me home?"

She didn't give him a chance to reply, leaving just a few minutes before Elena and Bonnie did. Elena and Bonnie managed to keep from speaking to each other until they were well on their way to Bonnie's house.

"Okay, what was that about?" Bonnie asked.

"What was that about? What was with the whole answering me about the party? I mean, I know your not trying to set me up with him, right?" Elena countered. Bonnie pinkened, but didn't back down.

"So what if I was?" Bonnie demanded. "I mean, he obviously want you, and he's _hot_. You two would be so good together, anyways."

"Yeah, and what about Caroline? You told me she was already planning their wedding," Elena said.

"Well, him and Caroline wouldn't be so good together. She's all… _stalkerish_ about him. Not a good combination," Bonnie said.

"Oh, and it's alright for me to be with him if he's stalking _me_?" Elena asked. Bonnie immediately became serious.

"What do you mean, he's stalking you?" she asked.

"I told you that he offered to walk me to the Grill, but I didn't tell you how that happened," Elena said, then went on to explain about their meeting in the cemetery, and his returning of her diary at her house, and then not leaving when she gave a semi-clear sign that he should by shutting he door in his face.

"Okay, so you think he's stalking you because…" Bonnie asked, not getting it.

"My diary was in my bag the whole time, and I was pretty much on the ground the entire time we talked in the cemetery; I would have noticed if it had fallen out. Plus, he's stares at me way too much; I mean, you even noticed that in class today. And his stare wasn't a regular one, but a creepy one – and before you say that it wasn't, you weren't under it," Elena said.

"I honestly thing he was hoping I would invite him into my house – I'm going to make sure that Jenna and Jeremy know not to. Also, think about the time he returned by diary at – just as I was leaving to meet you at the Grill. He said he didn't read it, but there was no reason to keep it as long as he did if he didn't. And it's not that hard to find my house, especially if he asked someone as he said he did. No, he lied about not reading my diary, which makes him suspicious to me. And he is not my type, anyways.

"Also, you didn't notice it, but, remember when I left you after we first saw him. Well, I went into the boys room to yell at Jeremy, and when I walked out, I almost ran into him. You didn't see it, but he looked at me as if he knew me in some way. He wasn't surprised to see me, that much is certain."

"You really thought about this a lot," Bonnie said, though she still thought that Elena and Stefan would be good together, not believing much of what Elena said. There was no reason for Stefan to be stalking Elena, as simple as that. And perhaps Elena was mistaken about her diary; perhaps it did fall out, she didn't notice, and Stefan had left something at the cemetery and gone back to get it, where he found the diary. Either way, there was a perfectly good reason for him to having it.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Elena said as her and Bonnie split up. Elena sighed as she walked off, having been able to tell that Bonnie still didn't believe her. She knew that the only way for Bonnie to believe her about things was irrefutable proof – it was something that always made Elena wonder why she had even bothered to stay friends with Bonnie, since she never believed her about things, things that somehow always were true and proven true after awhile. And Bonnie never even apologized…for any of it.

_Well, I'm sure I'll be able to find proof of Stefan reading my diary, whether he mess with something in it or he quotes something I wrote_ Elena thought as she arrived home. _I'm sure that, if I can't prove he read it, he'll slip up and quote something verbatim. I'm sure of it._

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Is it even safe for me to write in you anymore, or have you been violated by Stefan, as I suspect you have been?_

_Bonnie doesn't believe me when I told her Stefan was stalking me, and perhaps she's right; maybe I'm being a bit paranoid about that. However, it still doesn't explain how he got his hands on you, or why it took him so long to return you. I can only guess that he read you during that time, though nothing but my own gut feelings indicate this._

_Who is Stefan, you ask. I suppose I should explain him. Stefan Salvatore is the new kid at school, though he was born here. I don't know what happened, just that his parents died and he's hear to live with his uncle. He says he's an only child – a lie, to be sure. I don't think he realizes this, but there is a little indicator that he's lying – for a moment, it looked as if he was going to say something else. He has History, English, and French with me, though it is only in History that he has a clear view of me, one he is using to his advantage – he never once took his eyes off of me during that class today, a creep factor to be sure._

_Caroline's interested in him; she's apparently already planning their wedding, or, at least, that's what Bonnie told me. However, he doesn't seem interested in her; in fact, he hasn't shown interest in anyone but me, and it makes me nervous. His interest is the regular type of interest, but seems to be more of a different one. I wonder if I remind him of someone, an ex-girlfriend, perhaps, for that is what his focus reminds me of – it's the same focus Matt always looks at me with, yet different in a way as well._

_Speaking of his interest in me, it seems he has someone on his side; Bonnie, my best friend, is going against my wishes and is attempting to set me up with him, even after I told her that I didn't want him that way. My words, as the saying goes, seemed to have gone in one ear and out the other._

_She has informed him that I am to be at the party at the falls tomorrow. I guess that is where I will tell him that I'm not interested in him, hopefully before he completely ruins any chance of being with Caroline. From what I've seen already, she'll be good for him…and she deserves some happiness._

_In other news, something happened earlier, the reason why I didn't finish writing to you earlier, before your kidnapping. Someone was watching me – a different someone compared to Stefan, who was also at the cemetery just as I was. I do not know who it was, though I did see them; it became rather foggy before I noticed him, rather Hitchcock like, for I'd seen a crow on my parents gravestone just moments before the mist crept up._

_Unlike Stefan, though, whoever it was that was watching me did not fill me with unease. Rather, I felt a need to go to them, had started to, in fact, before they disappeared. As disturbing as it is, I want to know who it was, want to know why I felt what I did…and I want to know if there is a possibility of feeling it and more if I ever meet him. Yes, him. I know it was a him; the outline looked male._

_Anyways, perhaps I will meet whoever it was. Perhaps when I do, the mystery of who he is will be revealed._

_And perhaps Stefan will realize that I want nothing to do with him, without me having to say anything. I can only hope._

_Elena_

Elena signed the entry with her name, closing her diary before placing it in it's hiding place. Sighing, she turned off her light before going to sleep, dreaming about the shadowed man she had seen earlier in the cemetery.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside of Elena's house, Amora stood in the shadows, as she had for a good portion of the day. Save for Elena's first meeting of Stefan, she's been watching Elena, blocking her from any outside influence. Amora could feel that someone – who, she had yet to figure out – had been trying to break through her shields around Elena to make a connection to Jeremy. The presence had felt malevolent, not a trait a cupid should have.

Luckily, with a cupid meant to form a soul bond – AKA, a cupid meant to fix messed pairing when their paired wrongly, even if they have to go through time to do it – was much stronger than the average cupid, so Amora had the strength to do keep it away. Amora had thought that it was rather funny when Elena, without the malevolent influence, had felt…disturbed by Stefan

She obviously wasn't interested in him, though Stefan wasn't getting the hint as he should. Unfortunately, it seemed the this cupid was having help in some way – whether forced or otherwise – in Elena's pseudo friend. Amora wasn't surprised that it was Bonnie who was trying to push the two together; it was Bonnie who had given Elena subtle hints to get with Stefan to begin with, who had also had made Amora's job harder by being against Elena being with Damon the whole time. Add in the fact that she was trying to force Jeremy to get with her, and she wasn't a friend of Amora.

Signing, Amora put up a protection field around Elena's house as she slept, planning on scouting the town to see if she could find the malevolent cupid who was trying to force what wasn't meant.

* * *

Elena sat in her history class, trying to concentrate as Mr. Tanner – who, Elena would admit – was her least favorite teacher, too much of a bastard to think about others, as well as too high up on a high horse to think realize that he wasn't a god. Contemptuous, sarcastic, and mean-spirited, he, unlike other teachers, was always saying things that he shouldn't say, including insulting students for not knowing his subject.

Stefan, however, wasn't making it easy. His eyes refused to move from her, and, though she tried to listen to what Mr. Tanner was saying, as well as what they were reading, which held the information to the answers he was looking for.

The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls," Mr. Tanner was reading from his notes. He looked up to the class. "How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms. Bennett?"

"Um…a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot," Bonnie said.

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett," Mr. Tanner said nastily. Bonnie glared at him, but he ignored it, a contemptuous look on his face as he looked down his nose as them. His eyes looked them over before stopping on Matt. 'Mr. Donovan. Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

_Of course, if your on the football team, he's not as insulting to you_ thought Elena, having noticed the light way he spoke to Matt. He was always nicer to those on the football team, which he headed, just as it was the cheerleaders – such as her and Bonnie – he was the meanest too.

"It's okay, Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it," Matt said, a joke clearly heard. Mr. Tanner didn't say anything, showing his clear bias.

"Hmm. Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?" he said, singling her out now. She thought, but between Stefan's intimidating stare and the fact that – in all honesty – he hadn't taught this before, and had just begun to question them about it before talking about it meant that she didn't know.

"I'm sorry, I – I don't know," she said nervously, waiting for his insults. She didn't have to wait long.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena," he began contemptuously. Elena had to keep herself from glaring at him – she had missed the last three weeks of school, having been in the hospital then entire time – he hadn't been given anytime with her to lenient. _Bastard_ she thought. "But the person excuses ended with summer break."

Elena was perfectly fine ignoring him – after all, she didn't think he was worth it. Stefan, however, seemed to think he had to speak up for her; he seemed to think she was damsel, and that her silence wasn't out of choice. At least, that's how she felt when he began to talk.

"There were three hundred forty-six casualties, unless you're counting local civilians," Stefan said. Mr. Tanner was unable to look a bit impressed, until the mention of local civilians. Another superior look crossed his face.

"That's correct. Mister…," he began, acting as if he had no idea of who was talking.

"Salvatore," said Stefan politely.

"Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?" Tanner continued. Elena, who, like the others, were watching the two, and Elena looked back to Stefan, waiting for his answer. Which was how she noticed the small wince Stefan tried to surpress.

"Distant," he said, sounding off-hand with the comment.

"Well, very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle," Mr. Tanner said. He was about to speak again when Stefan spoke up.

"Actually, there were twenty-seven, sir," he said. "Confederate soldiers…they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss." A small, knowing smile crossed his face. "The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts." He paused for a moment. "Mr. Tanner." The last bit was added with faux politeness.

"Hmm," Mr. Tanner said, clearly taken aback. He walked to his desk to look at his copy of the archives, and a look of displeasure crossed his face for a moment before the look faded, and he began to speak again. No one really listened, though, most were throwing Stefan looks of 'cool, man' for his one-upping of Mr. Tanner. Stefan seemed to ignore them, though Bonnie noticed that he looked at Elena a few more times, a look of disappointment crossing his face after he realized that she wasn't looking at him thankfully.

Bonnie decided to see what was wrong with Elena after class.

* * *

Bonnie didn't get a chance to talk to him until the party. Bonnie reached and grabbed another beer, walking over to her. Holding it out, Elena took it from her.

"I really shouldn't be thankful for this," she said. Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"So what was up with you in class?" Bonnie asked. "I mean, why did you pretty much ignore Stefan after he stood up for your honor?"

"You mean why did I ignore my annoying stalker?" Elena clarified, ignoring Bonnie's glare. "I did it because I'm not a damsel as he seems to think I am. You know what Tanner's like; ignoring his jabs is the best thing to do, especially since only a parent whose seen his conduct can complain about it. It just isn't worth it to get in with him, like Stefan seemed to think he should do. While, yes, I did enjoy seeing Tanner brought down, I didn't appreciate being treated like a damsel in distress."

"Elena, you can't say your not attracted to him," Bonnie said. Stefan arrived then, spying them almost immediately, though he stayed away for a moment to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"People look up to me. I have to set an example," Elena said, a bit jokingly.

"Just admit it, Elena," Bonnie said, a bit annoyed.

"Okay, okay. He's a little pretty," Elena finally relented; however, she wasn't able to add what she wanted to add.

"He has that romance novel stare," Bonnie said dreamily.

Elena rolled her eyes. ";Stefan looked deep into her eyes, piercing her very soul,'" she said mockingly. Bonnie, still thinking about Stefan dreamily, didn't notice it, nor did Stefan, who had been doing a happy dance upon Elena's admittance that she thought he was pretty.

Stefan finally decided that it was time to go talk to Elena; however, he hadn't noticed that someone had seem him until Caroline, wearing her heart on her sleeve, appeared right next to him.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. You made it!"

"I did," Stefan said, a bit wearily. He didn't like this girl.

"we;;, let's get you a drink," Caroline said, not noticing his obvious discomfort.

"Well, I'm," he started, but she ignored him, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the table with the drinks.

"Oh, come on," she urged, ignoring his protests.

Elena was the one of the two who noticed this, though she hadn't been able to hear what was being said. Bonnie, however, seemed to remain oblivious of the fact that Stefan had arrived, for she was drinking deeply from the cup in her hand. She began to look around for him, planning on making up some reason for him to join her and Elena, and then ditching them

_That way, Elena will realize that he's going to be the best thing that will happen to her_ Bonnie thought. She looked around, though she was barely able to see, thanks to her rather blurred vision.

"So where is he?' she asked, though her eyes passed over him several times. Elena rolled her eyes again.

"I don't know. You tell me, you're the psychic one," Elena said sarcastically.

"Oh, right. I forgot," Bonnie said sheepishly. She took a deep breath, then blew it out. "Okay, give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate."

"Wait, you need a crystal ball," Elena said, holding out her still full beer bottle. Bonnie reached over to take it, accidently touching Elena's hand.

"Ahh," she gasped as a strange vision floated through her mind as the bottle dropped to the ground.

'What?" Elena immediately said, looking concerned for he friend.

"That was weird," Bonnie said, breathing heavily. "When I touched you, I saw a crow."

"What?" Elena asked in disbelief. Did she only see the crow, or did she see everything? More than that, did she feel anything that Elena felt? Did she also see her meeting with Stefan as well?

"A crow. There was fog, a man." She paused there, shaking her head, disbelief all over her face. "I'm drinking, I'm drunk. There's nothing psychic about it." She seemed to have forgotten about Elena by then, and turned to leave at that moment. "Okay, I'm gonna get a refill."

She left before Elena could suggest that Bonnie not drink anymore. _Okay_ thought Elena _she's always complaining about her grams drinking, but she decides to drink some more instead of heading home. I know that I love her and all, but that's just plain stupidity._

'Okay, Bonnie," she muttered under her breath, turning around to find a seat somewhere.

"Hi," Stefan suddenly said. She barely managed not to jump.

"Hi," she said, her heart pounding against her chest Stefan smiled, thinking that her pounding heart was due to attraction rather than fright.

"I did it again, didn't I?" he said, having noticed her jumping slightly.

"I'm sorry, you're upset about something," he said smoothly.

"Oh, uh, no, it's Bonnie. She's…," Elena started, then realized that it really wasn't any of Stefan's business, plus she didn't want him to think that Bonnie was crazy, even if she was at the moment. "You know what? Never mind, You're…here," she said bleakly, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm here," he said, thinking she was happy to see him. They were silent for a few moments as many of the other kids there walked up and said hi to Stefan.

"Everyone's rather friendly," he said. Elena let out a chuckle.

"You know, you're kind of the talk of the town," Elena said.

"Am I?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm. Mysterious new guy," she said, "oh, yeah."

"Well, you have the mysterious think going, too," he said, as if he needed to compliment her. Elena managed not to grimace. _Is that why he's interested in me_ she wondered.

"Twinged in sadness," he said, oblivious of the fact that she wasn't really paying attention to him.

"What makes you think I'm sad?" she asked, almost defensively.

"Well, we did meet in a graveyard," he said.

"Right," she said, calming down, about to say that she could have just been stenciling when another thought occurred to her. "Well, no, technically we met in the men's room, or by the door as I was leaving."

She really didn't want to say more, but he wasn't taking the hint.

"It's…it's not exactly party chit-chat," she said, a slightly last ditch attempt to telling him that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Well, I've never been very good at, uh, chit-chat," he said, still looking at her expectantly. She looked him in the eye, about to tell him to stop questioning her, when something weird happened, and she felt the need to speak to him.

"Last spring…," she started, almost unable to keep herself from speaking. She barely noticed that they had also begun to walk, heading towards a bridge near the falls. "My parents drove off a bridge into the lake. And I was in the backseat and I survived, but…they didn't. So that's my story."

Elena looked down and away, slightly scared and a little angry at herself for exposing something that she hadn't wanted to talk about. What scared her was the fact that she had started to talk about it at all, especially when she originally had no plan to do so. She was wondering what he had done when he spoke.

"You won't be sad forever, Elena," he said, calmly and smoothly, and Elena thought she could hear him say something else along the lines of her being happy with him, though he didn't really say it. She could just tell what he was thinking.

"So, what did Caroline want earlier?" Elena asked, getting the topic off of her.

:"Oh, just to welcome me. Hey, what was up with Bonnie earlier? I noticed she looked a bit freaked when she went off," he said.

"Oh, it's nothing. She just wants a good buzz for some reason," she said, not wanting to tell him about Bonnie's weird talent that she kept saying she had.

"Oh, I hope she's all right," he said. "I like Bonnie, she seems like a good friend."

Elena wondered if he liked Bonnie because of Bonnie's obvious like of Stefan, and the fact that Bonnie wasn't hiding the fact that she thought Elena and Stefan together.

"Yeah, best friend in the world," she said, mentally adding _At least compared to Caroline. Man, I really need to get some new friends, if this is the case_. It wasn't good that neither of her friends were actually good. _I mean, on one hand, I have Caroline, whose my best friend until a guy she wants, wants me, or some competition that we're both in, and then she become my worst enemy. On the other, there's Bonnie, who, when she thinks that something should be, she does whatever she can. Example, Matt and I. She talked me into dating him, saying we would go good together, simply because he showed interest in me. Most boring time of my life, in truth. And then there's now, where she's trying to get me and Stefan together now._

"And Matt, he can't seem to, uh, take his eyes off of you," he said, fishing. Elena could tell immediately, and knew that she would have to choose her next words carefully, enough for him to realize that she wasn't with Matt, but not so much that he would take it as an invitation to her. She decided on the truth, to a point.

"Matt's that friend since childhood that you start dating because you owe it to yourselves to see if you can be more," Elena said, mentally adding _which was why I allowed Bonnie into talking me into dating him to begin with._

"And?" Stefan asked, hoping that he had been right in thinking that she wasn't dating anyone; despite his vigilance of her, he didn't know if Elena and Matt were actually over, or if she had broken up with him while in distress and planned on getting back together with him. Though Stefan was loathed to do so, he would compel Matt not to want to get back with her if he had to, to have her. He wouldn't compel her, though – he didn't want the type of love that he had with Katherine.

Of course, he knew, in his heart, that Katherine had never compelled him to love her. He just didn't want to believe it. Besides, with Elena, he would have Katherine anyways, and he would be able to take care of her, just as he had been taught growing up; to take care of the women, because they were helpless without a man guiding them. Katherine hadn't needed that; that was why he fought against the feelings he felt for her, because she wasn't a proper woman.

"And," Elena started, gaining his attention again, "then my parents died, and everything changed. Anyways, Matt and I, together was just, I don't know, it wasn't, um…it wasn't."

Again, she was talking to much, probably making him think that she was interested in him. And she had just made a fool of herself as well, admitting that the relationship was missing something, something that it was missing because she hadn't been willing to give it. _Of course, the kisses were lacking in passion as well. Maybe that's why I never felt the need to do more. I'm just glad that I refuse to sleep with someone I'm dating unless I'm serious about them_ She began to pay attention to Stefan again. _._

"Passionate," he said, thinking and guessing what she was omitting. She blushed, unwillingly.

"No. No, it wasn't passionate," she said, trying desperately to think of a way to get away from him, or at least a subject change, when she noticed something wrong with his eyes. "Hey, um, are you okay? Um, your eye, it just, it's…"

Stefan turned away from her, mentally cursing himself as he realized what she was talking about.

"Oh, um… Yeah, no, it's, um, it's nothing. Um, are you thirsty? I'm gonna get us a drink."

He walked off before she could say anything. Scoffing, she shook her head as she headed back to the party; a small part of her mind noted that he headed in the opposite direction.

Once Elena got to the party, she began to look around, not sure of who she was trying to find, just knowing that it wasn't going to be Stefan.

"Looking for someone?" Elena jumped and turned to see that Matt had snuck up behind her.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him.

"When you broke up with me, you said it was because you needed some time alone. You don't look so alone to me," Matt said. Elena's smile fell from her face.

"Matt, you don't understand. It's –" she started, about to tell him that she wasn't interested in Stefan, just that Stefan had, for some odd reason, some interest in her, and pretty much refused to leave her alone, but he interrupted.

"That's okay, Elena. You do what you have to do. I just want to let you know that…I still believe in us. And I'm not giving up on that," he announced. Elena mentally sighed.

"Matt…" she started, but he had walked away by then. Sighing, she began to look around, hoping to find Bonnie or Caroline, so that she could explain to them that she was going to head home. She found Caroline, and started to head towards her, only to stop and pause when she saw Caroline grab at Stefan.

They talked for a bit, though Elena couldn't hear what was being said, but the look on Caroline's face gave her the gist of it. She turned, walking away, hoping that Stefan wouldn't find her, but was unsuccessful in the endeavor.

"Seems like you ran into Caroline," Elena said.

'Is she like that with, uh, all the guys?" he asked, making mention of Caroline's rather forward ways. The way he said it – the distaste for her forward ways – made Elena frowned.

"No," she said, a bit sternly, "You're fresh meat. She'll back off eventually. I actually think you'll be…God, you gotta be kidding me!"

She had about to say that she thought they'd be good for each other, but had just caught sight of someone who wasn't supposed to be there, as he was younger than everyone else.

"What is it?" Stefan asked.

"My brother," she said.

"The drunk one?" he asked. She pursed her lips at his obvious disrespect to her family; even if it was true, he had no right to be saying things like that.

"Excuse me," she said, heading toward her brother.

"Need some help?" he asked, clearly not wanting her out of his sight. She gave him a fake smile.

"Trust me, you're not going to want to witness this," she said, her eyes telling him to just back off, and that he was not to follow her, before turning to back in the direction her brother was heading. "Jeremy! Jeremy!"

She hurried after him, leaving Stefan standing, a bit bewildered, behind her. What had just happened?

* * *

"Jeremy, where the hell are you going?" Elena asked as she followed him into the forest.

"I don't want to hear it!" he yelled at her, quickening his pace.

"Yeah, well, too bad!" she said, about to read him the riot act when he suddenly tripped. Her mouth fell open in surprise as she realized that he had tripped over Vicki Donovan, Matt's sister, who was hurt…badly.

"Vicki? No! Oh, my got, it's Vicki!" Jeremy said, panicking a bit. His parents had just died not long ago, and now his pseudo girlfriend was hurt. Elena dropped to her knees, finding where she was hurt.

"Oh, my god!" she gasped as she looked at Vicki's throat, which looked as if it had been mauled by some kind of animal.

"No!" Jeremy yelled, while Elena quickly grabbed under Vicki's arms, motioning for Jeremy to take her feet. Jeremy shook his head, quickly picking her up while Elena grabbed fretted about, pressing her hand to the wound in hopes of staunching the bleeding.

They hurried back to the party, where Elena began screaming, "Somebody help!" gaining everyone's attention. Matt was the first to notice what was wrong.

"Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?" Matt said, hurry to where Jeremy was placing Vicki down on a table.

""What happened to her?" Tyler asked, appearing behind him.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" Matt yelled as he saw the blood on Vicki's neck.

"It's her neck. Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood," Elena said, looking terrified.

:Put this on her neck," someone said, passing a scarf up to her. Elena bunched it together and pressed it harshly against he wound. It certainly helped a lot better than her hand alone.

"Vicki. Vicki, come one, open your eyes, look at me," Matt pleaded. Elena's heart went out to him; after their father's death and the fact that their mother abandoned them, Matt had done pretty much everything to keep Vicki safe; Elena knew that he wouldn't survive if something happened to Vicki, just like Elena would be broken if she lost Jeremy.

She looked up at Matt; who was looking at the crowd, a look of suspicion on his face. She looked in the direction he was just in time to see Stefan's back as he left the party.

* * *

Stefan, meanwhile, unaware of the fact that the one person he didn't want to see him acting suspiciously had seen him doing so, headed back to the boarding house, where Zach Salvatore met up with him. Stefan didn't realize that someone was watching him and Zach, listening as Zach asked what was going on.

"Someone else was attacked tonight, Zack, and it wasn't me," Stefan said, heading to his bedroom. A crow suddenly flew past him, and he suddenly knew who it was that had attacked not only Vicki Donovan, but several others.

"Damon," he said, turning to his balcony. A man stood there, one who was – when put next to Stefan – undeniably cuter and taller. This man – who was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome – smirked.

"Hello, brother," he said, stepping forward into the room.

"Crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Stefan said.

"Wait until you can see what I can do with the fog," Damon said.

When'd you get here?" Stefan asked, determined to keep polite.

"Well, I couldn't miss your first day of school. Your hair's different. I like it," Damon said. Stefan sighed.

"It's been fifteen years, Damon," Stefan said.

"Thank god. I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? Did not suit you. Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads," Damon said, skirting around what Stefan was trying to get at.

"Why are you here?" Stefan asked.

"I miss my little brother," Damon said. Stefan rolled his eyes, knowing that it wasn't true.

"You hate small towns," Stefan said. "It's boring. There's nothing for you to do." Those words were what Stefan had heard Damon say more than once.

"I've managed to keep myself busy," Damon said, and Stefan knew that he was talking about the recent rash of missing people and murders that had happened around the place.

'You know, you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you," Stefan said, as if he wished that Vicki was dead. In truth, he honestly didn't care what happened to Vicki – if it was Elena or Bonnie, he would, for different reasons, of course – but Vicki was a non-entity to him; it didn't matter what happened her, and the possibility that he might know about what he was – he doubted Damon erased or covered her memory – would cause more problems than he really cared for.

"Ah. That can be a problem…for you," Damon said. Stefan froze, then turned sharply to him, knowing exactly what he meant.

"Why are you here now?" he asked harshly.

"I could ask you the same question," Damon said. And he could – Stefan might have a habit of returning to Mystic Falls, but he was always careful to return when there was no possible way that someone would recognize him. Of course, Damon had been watching him, and had noticed something that would catch Stefan's eye. "However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up all ino one little word… Elena."

Stefan's head whipped to him, looking horrified.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elena was watching as Matt got into the Emergency van with his sister as Bonnie came up to her.

"Hey," Bonnie said. Elena looked to her. "We're gonna go mainline coffee, wait for news."

"I gotta take Jeremy home," she said. "But I'll head over there once I do."

Bonnie nodded, and Elena began to move away when Bonnie suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Elena, there's no way I'm psychic, I know that. But whatever I saw, or I think I saw, I have this feeling," Bonnie said.

"Bonnie, what?" Elena asked.

"That it's just the beginning," Bonnie said. Elena shivered as a feeling of foreboding over her, mixed with excitement at the thought of finding whoever it was that had been in the graveyard with her…other than Stefan, anyhow.

* * *

"She took my breath away. Elena. She's a dead ringer for Katherine. Is it working, Stefan? Being around her, being in her world? Does it make you feel alive?"

"She's not Katherine," Stefan bit out, despite the fact that he though wanted her because of her resemblance.

"Well, let's hope not. We both know how that ended," Damon said. Stefan's face tightened in anger, for he did remember how that happened. But he knew that Elena would do that; he would have her, after all.

"Tell me something," Damon continued, "when's the last time you had something larger than squirrel?"

"I know what you're doing, Damon," Stefan said, his voice full of warning. "It's not gonna work."

"Yeah? Come on. Don't you crave a little?"

"Stop it."

"Let's do it. Together. I saw a couple girls out there. Or just, lets cut to the chase, let's just go straight for Elena!"

"Stop it!"

"Imagine what her blood tastes like!" Damon had finally said the right words. Stefan's face turned. Black veins appeared underneath her as his canine teeth protruded from his mouth.

"I can," Damon added, looking happy at himself for making his brother loose control.

"I said stop!" Stefan yelled, launching himself at Damon. He pushed them through the window, down to the ground. Damon laughed.

"I'm impressed," Damon said. 'I give it a six. Missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole face-thinkg. It was good."

"You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh?" Stefan said. "But wherever you go, people die."

That's a given," Damon said, not at all bothered by the fact.

"Not here. I won't allow it," Stefan said. Damon looked at him.

"I take that as an invitation," Damon said. Stefan's face dropped.

"Damon, please. After all these years, can't we just give it a rest?" he pleaded. Damon stepped closer to him.

"I promised you an eternity of misery, so I'm just keeping my word," Damon said. Stefan seemed to deflate.

"Just stay away from Elena," he said. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Where's your ring?" he asked. Stefan looked down to his finger to see the family ring that Elena had commented about earlier was gone. He looked up to Damon again, a bit panicked. If he didn't have it, he wouldn't be able to keep Damon away from Elena.

"Oh, yeah, sun's coming up in a couple hours, and, poof, ashes to ashes," Damon continued, then, seeing Stefan's panicked face, he chuckled and said, "Relax. It's right here."

He held up one of his hands out, handing the ring back. He waited until Stefan had put it back on; then, he grabbed Stefan's shirt, and easily projected him against wall.

"You should know better than to think you're stronger than me," Damon said. "You lost that fight when you stopped feeing on people. I wouldn't try it again." He let Stefan go, cocked his head, and then added, "I think we woke Zack up. Hmm." His voice raised as he walked towards the house. "Sorry, Zach."

* * *

Elena pulled up to the house, waiting for Jeremy to get out and head inside so that she could head to the Grill. When he didn't move for a while, she looked at him.

"You okay?" she asked. He didn't answer.

"You know, people are going to stop giving you breaks, Jer," she finally said, in response to when she found him earlier, beer in hand. "They just don't care anymore. They don't remember that our parents are dead, because they've got their own lives to deal with. The rest of the world has moved on. You should try, too."

Jeremy scoffed. "I've seen you in the cemetery writing in your diary. Is that – is that supposed to be you moving on?"

Elena flinched, looking down, before saying, "Mom and dad wouldn't have wanted this."

Jeremy sighed as he got out of the car and headed to the house. Elena hurried inside, heading up to her room, where she grabbed her bag and diary, and headed back downstairs.

"Jenna, I'm going to go to the Grill. Vicki was attacked, and Bonnie, Caroline, and I are going to mainstream coffee while waiting for some news," she said. Jenna's face became alarmed.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Elena nodded. "Make sure your back before one," Jenna ordered, hoping that Elena would get some news. She knew both the Matt and Vicki situation, and knew that Matt wouldn't survive if something happened to Vicki. Matt was a nice kid; he didn't deserve to have something like that happen to his sister.

"I will," Elena said. She was about to head out before she remembered something.

"Oh, Jenna, if a guy named Stefan Salvatore comes here, don't tell him where I'm at, just say I wish to remain unbothered," she said. 'It's nothing, but I don't think I'll be in any shape to entertain him when I get back, and, considering how well I seem to be getting to know him, I don't think he'd just go home; I think he'd either head to the Grill or wait for me here."

"All right," Jenna said, wondering what it was about this Stefan that Elena obviously didn't like. That was the only reason she could think of to why Elena wouldn't want him to join her at the Grill.

* * *

"Why didn't he go for me? You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?" Elena heard Caroline as Bonnie. Neither of them noticed Elena had entered, and Elena used that to her advantage, wanting to know what Caroline was talking about.

"I'm not touching that," Bonnie said

"I'm inappropriate. I always say the wrong thing. And…Elena always says the right thing. She doesn't even try. And he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything. And I try so hard, and …I'm never the one."

"It's not a competition, Caroline," Bonnie said.

"Yeah, it is," Caroline said.

""No, it isn't," Elena finally spoke, causing Bonnie and Caroline to jump. Bonnie excused herself rather quickly, leaving Caroline and Elena alone. Elena sighed, sitting down next to Caroline.

"Caroline, you don't want Stefan," she said, holding up her hand when Caroline was about to speak. "I'm not saying that because I want him, because I don't. In fact, he makes feel uncomfortable. I have not shown him any interest, save for being polite to him, which, as you know, is how I am with pretty much everyone."

Caroline nodded, knowing that it was true.

"Now, the reason why I say that you don't want him is because…well, in truth, he was rather rude when talking about you at the party earlier, and I think he's not over his last girlfriend, who, I get the feeling, looks more like me than you," she said.

"Why do you say that?" Caroline asked.

"His interest," she said. "The way he looks at me, pretty much all the time. The fact that he's not even looking at other girls with any interest – even Matt did that when we were dating. And, I don't, there's just something about his gaze that…frightens me. It's like he knows me, like he's met me before, even though I've never seen him in my life."

Caroline bit her lip, feeling a bit better in knowing that Stefan didn't actually want Elena so much as he was projecting a possible, previous girlfriend on her. Elena, who knew that Caroline was feeling better and why, wrapped an arm around her.

"So don't take his rejection serious. You're a beautiful woman whose going to make a man very lucky someday," she said.

"Thanks, Elena," Caroline said. "I'm going to go to the bathroom; then get Bonnie to get me home. She was complaining about it earlier. Are you going to stay here?"

"Yeah, I have permission to say until at least one; Jenna's worried, and want to hear if there's any news," Elena said. She didn't bother adding that Jenna would probably have told her that she could say out all night waiting for news, but the Grill closed at one; Jenna didn't want Elena on the street waiting for news.

"All right. Well, see you tomorrow if your not tired," Caroline said. Elena nodded her head, waving bye to Bonnie as she left as well, while ordering a coffee.

Knowing that it could be awhile before anyone would have news, Elena took out her diary, opened it to a new page, and began to write:

_Dear Diary,_

_I couldn't have been more wrong. I thought that I could smile, nod my way through everything today, though a party; pretend that what happened last time wouldn't effect me and that it would be okay, and it was, to a point. But now…now I feel the full weight of dread that I had felt earlier, before I headed to the party._

_Let me start at the beginning. Yesterday, Bonnie said that I would go to the party that was tonight, even though I hadn't planned on going – you remember what happened at the last one, after all. Luckily, I didn't have any flashbacks, and things were going good until Stefan arrived. Of course, something happened before Stefan arrived; Bonnie, when she touch my hand, mentioned something about yesterday's graveyard visit, which freaked her out, quite a bit._

_However, back on Stefan. He circled almost exclusively around me, trying to monopolize my entire time. We conversed a bit, and – this is were it gets a little weird –the subject of my parents came up, a subject that I swore I wouldn't speak about again. Yet, when I looked him in the eye, I suddenly felt…like I had to tell him. It scared me._

_Then…something else weird happened. His eyes, they changed. After that happened, he left, supposedly to get drinks for me and him, though I didn't want one. However, he went off in the wrong direction, and, while looking for Caroline or Bonnie, to inform them that I was planning to leave, I didn't see in anywhere at the party, until I had spotted Caroline, who had grabbed him. I saw them speaking…well, more like I saw him shoot her down without even considering the fact that she was way more interested in him that I was._

_After that, he showed that he didn't care much for her forward way; that he didn't care for any woman being forward, from the tone of his voice. My already low opinion of him went lower after that, and I was glad when I saw Jeremy, who shouldn't have been there to begin with._

_That's when the night took a more terrify turn, for, when I chased after Jeremy to talk to him, we found Vicki in the forest. She had been attacked by some animal. After carrying her back to the party, where the paramedics were called, every single one of us at the party was surrounding her; I myself was trying to stop the bleeding. Yet, I noticed Matt looking suspiciously in a single direction, and, when I followed his gaze, I saw Stefan leaving…in a bit hurry._

_Why? Why was he leaving? And where did he go when he disappeared earlier? If I didn't know better, I would say that Stefan had something to do with Vicki's attack, but I saw the wound, before putting the scarf on it to stop the bleeding. She looked like she'd been mauled by something with sharp teeth, and Stefan's teeth weren't sharp._

_So why did he seem panicked?_

_I wish I knew._

_Elena_

Putting the pen down, she settled for what promised to be a rather lengthy wait.

* * *

"I'll take two caramel frappes and a mocha frappe," she said as she was heading to the bathroom for a moment. She was feeling a bit lighthearted. Another hour had passed before Elena heard news that Vicki was stabilized, and she finally felt able to breathe. Now, all that was left that she had to do was wait for her frappes, and she'd be leaving. Well, after she took care of business.

It was as she was heading back to the table she'd monopolize while doing some extra History reading that she felt something, something strange but familiar. She looked around the Grill, but didn't see anything unusual, so she continued to her table, packing up her things before sitting down.

Not long afterwards, but before the waitress came with her frappes, the feeling returned, stronger this time, and she was able to recognize it. It was the feeling she had in the graveyard, the one she wanted to feel again. Also in effect was the feeling of eyes on her.

She looked up, straight into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. Blushing, she looked down before looking up again, through her eyelashes.

Damon, who had entered the Grill, planning on finding some girl to play with, was slightly surprised to see Elena there. He thought about leaving, then decided that now would be a good time to play with Stefan's head by hanging around, and letting her see him; though he would leave before she could talk to him.

Of course, he didn't want to admit that, when she walked into the room, he felt…something pulling him to her. When she looked at him, he saw her blush, and a small, genuine smile crossed his face before he knew it. The smile widened when he saw her looking at him through her eyelashes.

They sat there, neither of them moving, just looking at each other, feeling that strange pull getting stronger, and about to make some sort of move when a waitress came over, interrupting them by standing if front of Damon. The feeling disappeared, and Elena had some suspicion as to why, a suspicion that became reality when she saw that the guy – whose name she wondered about – was gone. Sighing, she grabbed the frappes that she ordered and headed home

* * *

"Jenna, I'm back," she called softly, just in case someone was asleep. Luckily, no one was, as she found out when she walked to the kitchen to put the frappes in the fridge.

"Well?" Jenna asked, while Jeremy eyed her.

"Vicki's been stabilized, and she's fine," she said. Jenna and Jeremy let out simultaneous breaths of relief.

"That's good," Jenna said as Elena moved to the freezer, and put the coffee in there. "I take those are for in the morning?" Jenna asked. Elena nodded, then noticed the tea in front of Jenna.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Oh, your mother's special blend of tea. Rosemary, vervain, and chamomile, all mixed in one," Jenna said. "Still has an interesting taste that I remember, but calms me down as always," Jenna said. "Something that I definitely needed after finding out about Vicki and earlier. I can see what you meant about that Stefan character."

Elena looked up at her aunt sharply. "What happened?" she asked.

"Well, just as you suspected, he came here, said he wanted to talk to you, make sure you were okay," Jenna began. "I told him what you told me to tell him, but he mentioned that your car was missing, and then I told him that you went to see a friend and would be right back. Then he ask if he could wait, and I told him, because you were going straight to bed once you came. He tried to argue, saying that he would only be a few minutes, and then he asked if he could just leave you a note, and asked to come in."

Jenna sighed. "It was like nothing I said would get rid of him. Finally, I threatened to call the police if he didn't leave, since I'd already told him no.

"Oh, and what was up with his need for eye contact. It was like he expected me to do whatever he wanted when he made eye contact with me."

"I don't know," Elena said.

"Well, anyways, I can see why you didn't want anything to do with him, and, truthfully, I'd prefer if it stayed that way," Jenna said. "That kid give me the creeps."

"I know," Elena said, looking down. "I don't think he'll give up, though."

"Me neither," Jenna said. "I'm just glad that I didn't invite him into the house. I can only imagine just how hard it would be to get him out of it if I had."

"I'm just glad it didn't get violent," Elena said. "As nice as he seems, from what you just described and his attitude at the party, I get the feeling that he'd he might be the abuser type." Elena sighed. "And he seems to have become fixated on me."

Jenna looked slightly scared. "Any idea why?" she asked.

"I think I look like his ex," Elena said

"Do I need to get a restraining order against him for you?" Jenna asked.

"No. It's just a feeling, and he hasn't really done anything save for annoy the two of us. I don't want to make a big deal out of something that just might be nothing," Elena said, before yawning. Despite the coffee, she's made sure to keep it down low, so that she could get some sleep tonight, so she was feeling rather tired.

"I'm going to… yawn…go to bed," Elena said.

"Alright," Jenna said, yawning too. "I'll make sure the house is locked up. Goodnight, Elena."

"Night, Aunt Jenna," Elena said heading up stairs, where she got ready for bed. She made sure her windows were shut and locked, at he curtains were closed before she climbed into bed.

It didn't take her long to fall asleep.


	3. Night of the Comet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Delena flavored Episode II of Season I.**

The next morning dawned rather brightly for Elena, in more ways than one. After getting ready for school, she grabbed her diary, feeling a need to write down her thoughts before she forgot them.

_Dear Diary,_

_This morning is…different. There is change. I can sense it, feel it. I'm awake. For the first time in a while, I feel completely and undeniably wide away. And I think I know why I feel this way: I think I'll see him again, the guy from the last night._

_And so, for once, I won't regret the day before it beings. Instead, I will welcome it, because I know…well, I feel, I will see him again. And that makes me feel good._

Elena placed the pen down as she closed and hid her journal before grabbing her things and heading out of her room, almost running into Jenna, who was rushing about.

"Do I look adult?" Jenna asked her, showing off the clothes she was wearing. "As in respectfully parental?"

"Depends where you're going," Elena said, though she had the feeling that the black pants and white blouse combo would work for wherever she was going.

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference," Jenna asked, her hands grabbing he hair. "Hair up or down?"

She pulled her hair up, where Elena said, "Sexy stewardess," and then let it fall, prompting a "Boozy housewife," comment from Elena.

"Up it is," Jenna said, then noticed that there was actually something different about Elena.

You're feisty today," she commented.

Elena shrugged, not quite sure to explain to her aunt about the fact that she was crushing on a guy she'd actually met, or the fact that she sensed that she would see him again, and that she was actually looking forward to seeing him, if her hunch was right.

"I feel good," she said instead, "which is rare." Jenna nodded at that, knowing that Elena had rarely felt good about anything since her parents death. "So, I've decided to go with it. Fly free, walk on sunshine, and all that stuff."

Jenna was tempted to ask Elena about who it was that had her feeling like this, but knew that Elena would have told her already if she wanted her to know…or if there actually was someone that had her like this. Jenna suspected that there was, but didn't want to push just in case she was wrong. Or, in a worse case scenario, it was that Stefan guy. Jenna knew that she would be putting her foot down if it turned out to be him.

"Where's Jeremy?" asked Elena, having noticed his absence.

"He left early," said Jenna. "Something about getting to wood shop early to finish a birdhouse…" Jenna trailed off when she saw Elena's slightly pitying expression. She immediately knew that she'd been duped. "There is no wood shop, is there?"

"No," Elena said softly, shaking her head.

"Yeah," Jenna sighed.

"I'll see if he actually did head to the school, okay," Elena said as she headed down the stairs.

"Yeah," Jenna repeated. "Oh, could you stop by the Salvatore boarding house after school. Apparently, your mom had Zach Salvatore store some things, and I need them. I already called Zach this morning, so he's going to pull them out of storage, I just need you to pick them up."

"Yeah, I can do that. What should I do if he doesn't get them from storage before I get there, though?" Elena asked.

"While he assures me that he will be there, he did mention that they are in a spare room, marked as Gilbert things," said Jenna, shaking her head. "You know, for a boarding house, it sure seems to just house Zach and now Stefan."

Elena snorted before saying, "Alright, then."

She waved to her aunt as she left.

* * *

Elena was able to immediately tell that Jeremy wasn't at school, but knew that there was nothing she could do. _Good_ _luck,_ _Aunt_ _Jenna_ she thought, having the feeling that she knew exactly who it was that had requested the meeting; after all, since her aunt hadn't asked for one, there was only one teacher who would care for causing trouble for Jenna.

Elena sighed as she entered her history class. She quickly discovered that, in honor of the comet that was going to be arriving sometime within the next few days. She listened, bored, as Mr. Tanner droned on and on while trying to ignore the eyes that were on her. Stefan appeared to have his creepiness heightened after his lack of progress in getting into her house last night – she wondered if he knew that Jenna had told her about that or not.

"Originally discovered nearly five centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over 145 years. Now, the comet will be it's brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration," Mr. Tanner said, then stopped when he noticed that someone wasn't paying attention as they should have been, and bothering another student while they were at it – even he could see that Elena was uncomfortable. "Are we bothering you, Mr. Salvatore?"

Stefan shook his head, turning his gaze from Elena to the teacher. Mr. Tanner suppressed a shiver at the glare he saw Stefan level at him. If looks could kill…

* * *

Elena ignored Stefan's attempts to talk to her after class, wanting to ask Matt how Vicki was doing. She may not like the girl – well, it was more like she didn't like the way Vicki played her brother, and caused Matt to worry – but that didn't mean she wasn't worried.

"Matt, hey," she said as she found him. "How's Vicki?"

"They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection," Matt said, "but she should be able to come home tomorrow."

"That's good news," said Elena, giving him a small, comforting smile.

"Yeah," Matt sighed, looking at her with longing. He wanted to ask her what was going on with her and the new guy, but wasn't sure he wanted to know at the same time. Luckily, before he decided what to do, she spoke again.

"Did you get in touch with your mom?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Called and left a message. She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so…we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home." He said the last part with such sarcasm that it easy to see he didn't believe his mother would come running.

"Vicki's lucky that she's okay," Elena said softly, shuddering as she remembered the state she found Vicki in. She really hoped that someone found that animal before it hurt someone else.

"I know," he admitted, before frowning. "You know, there's some talk about some missing campers going around."

Elena frowned at that.

"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?" Elena asked, curious to know. Matt looked like he wasn't going to tell her, then sighed as he said, " she said it was a vampire."

Elena's eyes went wide. "What?"

"Yeah, she wakes up last night and muttered 'vampire' and then passes out," he said. Elena shook her head, and then noticed something weird out of the corner of her eye. She had been aware of the fact that Stefan, after giving up on talking to her, had passed by her and Matt, and gone to sit at one of the tables outside – she knew this because she had, unconsciously, been keeping an eye on him, to avoid him of course – and she suddenly noticed his relaxed position had changed when Matt had mentioned vampires. She remembered last night, where Stefan had vanished quickly after seeing Vicki, and remembered her original thoughts when she had seen that.

However, she mentally shook her head, knowing that he couldn't have attacked Vicki, unless there was something he was hiding…

"Okay, that's weird," she said, forcing her thoughts to stop before they got carried away.

"I think she was drunk," said Matt, before he too noticed Stefan. "So, what's up with you and the new guy?" He winced, having not meant to ask that – it had just slipped out. He had to admit, though, the look of distaste that crossed her face made him feel a bit better. Maybe there was some hope on him getting back with her after all…

She shook her head. "Nothing, really," she said, only to realize why he was asking. Sighing, she turned to him.

"Matt…the last think I want to do is hurt you," she started, seemingly to choose her words. He felt a pang, realizing that he was deluding himself in thinking she would still want to be with him.

"You know, I'm…" he started, not wanting to hear Elena's words. "I'm actually gonna go back to the hospital. I want to be there when Vicki wakes up, get the real story about last night."

"Okay," Elena said, watching him walk away. As she turned to head to her car, she noticed that Stefan had disappeared, and hoped that he had actually left.

* * *

"Well, I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was a lot of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity," Bonnie said, as she, Caroline, and Elena all sat outside of the café they'd gone to.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens. So then what?"

"So then nothing," Elena said, knowing immediately what Caroline wanted to know. She'd just finished telling them about the guy she'd seen at the Grill last night after getting the news about Vicki, and, Caroline had pounced on the information rather quickly, wanting to know everything she could about it.

Bonnie, knowing that she wouldn't get a chance to talk about anything else that her Gram had told her, looked down at her drink as she let the two talk. She wasn't exactly glad to hear about this mystery guy – the fact that Elena seemed really interested in him wasn't productive in her little plan of getting Elena with Stefan.

"Okay, you saw this hot guy, and you did nothing?" Caroline said, disbelief all over her face. "You didn't attempt to get his number or his name, or anything?"

"The waitress came by with my drinks, and he left before I could even talk to him," Elena said, a frown on her face.

"Elena, we're your friends, you can share the smut," Caroline said, still not believing that Elena did nothing.

"I'm serious. We just sat there, looking at each other," Elena said.

"Okay, what is with the blockage? You should have introduced yourself, found out if he wants you, and then jumped his bones if he did want you. It's an easy and simple thing. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex," Caroline said. Bonnie scoffed at that – then again, as the only member of the group who planned on waiting until she was married before taking that step, she always thought Caroline's rather slutty attitude was something to scoff at.

Elena, however, didn't really share Bonnie's sentiments on that subject, as she smiled while shaking her head. "Profound," she said, before pulling out her phone and looking at the time. She realized that she ought to get to the Salvatore boarding house to pick up those things that her aunt needed her to get.

"Where are you going?" asked Bonnie as she stood up to leave.

"Going to find that guy so that I can do what Caroline suggested. She's right, after all," said Elena, laughing as she saw Bonnie's eyes widen. "I'm kidding. I told Jenna I'd get some stuff she needed from the Salvatore house. I'm supposed to go there after school, but I decided to hang out with you two for a while. However, I promised I would be home at a certain time, so…"

"Okay, see you tomorrow," the two said.

* * *

Elena drove up to the Salvatore house, admiring it from her car. She always liked it when her parents would come here, though she never actually entered the house. They had never stayed long enough for that. But it was okay, because she liked looking at the outside – she often used to think that she would live in a house just like it when she married, when she was a kid, anyways.

Not noticing any cars, she walked toward the front door, thinking that maybe Stefan was using Zach's – her Aunt did say he would be here, after all. Or was it that someone would be there?

Reaching out to knock on the door, she was surprised when, upon her fist gently hitting it, it creaked open. A frown on her face – what if someone had broken in – she stayed quiet, listening and hearing nothing.

"Mr. Salvatore," she called out, stepping into the house as she repeated that. She knew that she should stay outside and wait for someone to come, as it was rude to barge into someone else's house, but there was something that seemed to be telling her to do so. She thinks she hears something behind her, turning just in time to see a crow fly in. Gasping she ducked and turned, only to almost run into someone.

Her breath left her as she found herself looking into eyes that she was familiar with, despite the fact that she really shouldn't be. Then again, they did belong to the handsome stranger she'd seen last night, and, just like last night, she couldn't seem to do anything but stare, until her brain started working again, and she realized that she was standing in his house – at least, she assumed he lived there, as he was probably a boarder – without permission, something that she had the feeling didn't look to good.

"Oh…I'm sorry for barging in. The door was…" she started, turning as she pointed towards it, only to discover, to her surprise, that it was closed. Her shock and confusion could clearly be heard in her voice as she finished with, "open." She turned back to him, hoping that he didn't think she was lying.

He wasn't looking at her as if he was about to accuse her of something, which could be a good think in her mind.

"You must be Elena," he said, picking up her hand and bringing it to his mouth. "I'm Damon, Stefan's brother." He kissed the back of her hand, and her heartbeat began to pick up. It took her a few seconds before her brain could think again; he was doing a great job at keeping her mind clear of everything but him.

It wasn't until she saw his look begin to change that she realized just how rude she was being.

"Stefan didn't mention his brother was in town," she murmured, not moving away from him, as a part of her knew she should; she just couldn't make her body move. It probably didn't help that

"Well, Stefan's not one to brag," he said. "Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

"Oh," she said as he led her into the living room; he hadn't let go of her hand, much to her extreme pleasure. "I'm not here to speak to…. Wow. This is your living room?"

"Living room, Parlor, Sotheby's auction," he listed. "It's a little kitschy for my taste."

As she was still looking around, she didn't notice that he was looking at her until he said, :I can see why my brother's so smitten."

She looked at him, about to say something, but he continued to speak.

:It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

"So, he hasn't shown any interest in any girls before meeting me?" she asked.

"Nope," he said.

"Okay, tell me the truth: how much do I look like her?" She could tell she had shocked him with that question; it was evident on his face. Then, quickly, he put up a mask.

"What makes you think you look like her?" he asked.

"The way your brother acts. I mean, if he liked her as much as you said he did, then it stand to reason that he'd be looking for someone like her in certain ways, and I'm sure looks is one of them," she said, shrugging. He laughed at that – she was partially correct, Stefan was interested in her because of her looks.

"Well, you are right, you do look like her, quite a bit, in fact," Damon said, knowing that it wouldn't do to say what he was really thinking – that she could easily be Katherine's twin sister, only with a more innocent aura.

"So, if the way you seem to be acting is any indication, I take it your not here to see Stefan," Damon said.

"No. I'm actually here to get some things that Zach was supposed to pull out of storage. My aunt did say she talked to him earlier about it," she said.

"Oh, right, I actually think I remember hearing that conversation this morning. Unfortunately, he had to go to a meeting before he could get the things out, so…" Damon said.

"Oh, that's okay. My aunt and I had these concerns earlier, and asked about it. According to Zach, they are in a spare room, marked Gilbert," Elena said.

Damon turned on his heel.

"Well, there are quite a few spare rooms with boxes in them, so I guess I will help you find your boxes," he said, holding out his hand. She placed her hand in his, musing that it was as if she was in a different era as she did so.

"Well, then, please lead the way," she said.

* * *

While they were moving the things to her car, they somehow got onto the subject of rebound relationships, and what they thought about them. Damon had just finish mentioning how most of those types of relationships ended.

"You say it like every relationship is doomed to end," Elena commented, standing in the living room with the last box in her hand.

"I'm a fatalist," Damon said. He then heard Stefan enter the house. "Hello, Stefan."

Elena spun around, startled when she realized that Stefan was indeed standing behind her.

"Elena, I didn't know you were coming over," Stefan said, his gaze still focused on Damon. Elena shivered slightly at the dark look on his face – he didn't seem to care for his brother at all.

"I know," she said. "I came over because Aunt Jenna asked me to get some of the things my mother had Zach store for her."

She stopped talking at that moment, noticing the dark look on Stefan's face was still there.

"I should have called, I just…" she began to say, rambling a bit, slightly scared at the way he was acting. He was making her feel as if he was about to attack her – well, Damon, but her body wasn't quite accepting of that little fact – for the fact that she had dared to come over without him.

"Oh, don't be silly," Damon said. "You don't have to inform Stefan if you decide to come over. He's not your keeper or anything. You were doing something for your Aunt, so you also have a valid reason for coming over. And you're welcome here anytime you want, right Stefan?"

Somehow, Elena had the feeling that Damon was challenging Stefan to do something, or say something in front of her; she also had the feeling that Stefan wouldn't do anything until she was gone.

Indeed, just as she thought, Stefan turned to her.

"Thank you for stopping by, Elena. Nice to see you," he said, and Elena gathered two things from those two sentences: One, he obviously hadn't listened when she mentioned the reason why she was really there, conceitedly thinking that she was there for him, despite having told him otherwise; and two, he was dismissing her as if she was a servant for some reason, despite the fact that she was still talking with his brother. She wondered if he could tell that she happened to like talking to his brother, then mentally shook her head. While it was true that she rather enjoyed talking to Damon, there was no way Stefan would be able to tell that unless he had been listening in on their previous conversations, and she had the feeling that either her or Damon would have run into him earlier.

Then, she remembered what they had been talking about when Damon announced Stefan's presence, and Elena realized what it was that had Stefan mad. Her jaw tightened as she realized that Stefan hadn't wanted her to know about Katherine, along with the fact that he wasn't very happy about how her and Damon were getting along – at least, she suspected the last part. With the way he was dismissing her, she had no doubt that he wouldn't be happy if she wanted to stay to continue talking to Damon.

She was very tempted to do that, but the fact that she had told her aunt that she would bring the boxes by sooner rather than later meant that she shouldn't dawdle as she was being tempted. Besides, how would she be any better than Stefan if she used his brother in that way – though, for some reason, she got the feeling that Damon might not really mind.

"Well, I've got things to do. It was nice to meet you, Damon," she said.

"Great to meet you, too, Elena," Damon said.

Elena nodded, biting her lip, looking for all the world as if she wanted to say something else to him, but then turned, heading for the door. As she passed Stefan, she suddenly remembered something that she had decided on telling him should she see him here.

"Oh, Stefan," she said, turning to look at him. A frown crossed her face as she notice him ignoring her. "Stefan!"

"Yeah," he said turning his head toward her. She noticed the annoyed look on his face.

"Um, just so you know, my Aunt Jenna told me about your rather rude visit yesterday, and I would prefer it if, next time my aunt says I'm not there, and that you can't come into the house, you don't push it," Elena said. "If she tells you something and denies you entrance into the house, it is very rude to continue to bug her about it. In fact, I think it would be better if you didn't come around my house anymore, what so ever."

Having said that, she turned around and left.

Stefan's mouth fell open at her rather blunt words. Even Damon's mouth fell open, though he found himself admiring the way Elena basically told Stefan that they weren't going to be dating – after all, how can you date someone if you weren't allowed to go to their house.

He was tempted to tease Stefan about it, but had something else he wanted to talk about to him.

"Great gal," Damon said, meaning it, surprisingly enough. "She's got spunk. You, on the other hand, look pooped. Did you over exert yourself today? Let me guess…hospital."

"Someone had to clean up your mess," Stefan said, a scowl on his face that he aimed at Damon. During his compulsion attempts, he realized that Damon hadn't been kidding when he had said that it would cause trouble for himself. Vicki had been compelled to believe that it had been Stefan who had attacked her. It had taken practically all of his strength to break through his brother's compulsion to replace the memory of him attacking her to being one of an animal attacking her.

Damon rolled his eyes, knowing that his brother probably felt smug at the moment, underneath his brooding and slight anger at seeing Elena getting along with him. Did his brother really think that he could easily override Damon's compulsion that easily – well, no, he doubted that it was easy; after all, it wouldn't due for Stefan to realize that he'd been tricked into doing the compulsion Damon put on the girl by making it too easy to override. Damon knew just the right amount of Power to put behind a compulsion so that Stefan could override it without it being obvious. To bad Stefan didn't realize that he'd just walked into a trap that Damon had set up.

"Well, were you successful?" Damon asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting to take away the smugness radiating from him. "Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember, if you don't feed properly, none of those little tricks work right."

Stefan, however, had something else on his mind. "How long was Elena here?" he asked. He hadn't been particularly happy to see Elena around his brother. He had a feeling that Elena's brush off of him hadn't been real, that she had only said that because she'd been compelled to by Damon – it did see the sort of thing that Damon would do. Of course, if he was honest, she didn't seem to keen on him much, but he stubbornly believed that it was only because of Damon – for all he knew, Damon had ran into her after the one party the other night, as it was almost straight after that that she had begun to act really distant from him. He knew that he would have to somehow get vervain to her, after figuring out how to erase Damon's compulsion from her.

He wasn't too worried about that part, though – he had been able to break in with Vicki, so there was no reason why he shouldn't be able to do so with Elena.

"Were you worried, Stefan?" Damon said. "Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past? Isn't that why you play your little game, 'I'm a high school human'?""

"I'm not playing any game," Stefan said. Damon rolled his eyes, unable to believe how deluded his brother was.

"Of course you are," Damon said. "It won't work, though. We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."

Stefan frowned at Damon. "What kind of game are you playing, Damon?" he asked, confused and apprehensive at the words Damon had just spoken.

Damon smirked. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

* * *

When Jenna came home, and saw the slightly goofy look on Elena's face, she couldn't help but think that Elena had changed her mind about Stefan Salvatore, something that Jenna wasn't very happy about. However, instead of straight out asking – which, really, she didn't think would get her anywhere – she asked, "So, what's got you so happy?"

Elena smiled at her aunt, slightly sheepishly, since Jenna didn't know about he guy from last night. "Um…well, last night, while I was at the grill waiting for our drinks, I noticed a really hot guy come in, though I didn't talk to him, and, well…it turns out that he's living at the boarding house now."

"Your not talking about Stefan, are you?" asked Jenna suspiciously, as she didn't have any idea where Stefan had gone once he finally left.

"Oh, god no," Elena said, before biting her lip and looking down. "Trust me, even if I was interested in Stefan, after what I learned about him today, that interest would be completely gone."

"Oh," said Jenna, interested.

"Yeah," Elena said. "I was kind of right about why I thought he was interested in me. His ex-girlfriend – who he was madly in love with and completely crushed when she left him – apparently looks quite a bit like me, and he's on the rebound. Plus, he apparently has raging family issues."

"How do you know that?" asked Jenna. Elena looked down, having the feeling that Jenna might not like the position that she seemed to be willing to put herself in – being between two brothers, even though she was only interested in one, and wasn't quite sure that one was interested in her, though she hoped that he was. However, she also knew that Jenna would be hurt if Elena didn't tell her.

"The hot guy I noticed yesterday, the one living at the boarding house, he's Stefan's brother," Elena said, quickly adding, "but he doesn't seem like Stefan at all."

"You sure about that?" asked Jenna.

"Jenna, I spent an hour talking to him when we were dealing with finding and then loading the boxes, and in that short time, I can honestly say that he did not give off any creepy vibes like Stefan does," Elena told her.

"Well, that's good. So, Stefan's looking for a replacement for his ex-girlfriend," said Jenna. "At least it's only that. Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues."

Elena couldn't help but notice that her aunt's last mention of issues was not only said a bit louder than the rest of what she had said, but also timed just as Jeremy walking into the room – she had heard the door open just a few seconds ago, and knew that Jenna had heard as well – Jeremy hadn't exactly been quiet when he had walked in. Elena had the feeling that Jenna wanted Jeremy to hear that last bit, which made her wonder what had been said at the parent-teacher conference.

Jeremy, who also figured out what Jenna was basically saying, scoffed as he rolled his eyes, going to head up to his room.

"Jeremy?" Jenna said. "Jeremy, where were you?"

Jeremy, who had stopped when she called, walking into the kitchen and said, "More stoner stories? Look, Jenna, I get it, you were cool. And so that's…that's cool." He turned to go again.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Jenna said forcefully, grabbing the first thing she could from the fruit basket on the counter – an apple – which she then lobbed at him with quite a bit of strength.

"Ow!" Jeremy said in surprise as he rubbed where the apple hit. "Why? Why…why did you do that?" he asked, completely taken aback at the action as he looked at Jenna.

Jenna gave him a very stern look, though it didn't exactly make Jeremy think that she was being serious.

"Listen up!" Jenna commanded. "Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion."

Jeremy, over his shock, gave his an a patronizing smile. 'Parental authority," he said, "I like it. Sleep tight."

He left the room, and both of the women could hear him heading up to his room. Jenna sighed after hearing Jeremy's door shut.

Elena was about to ask what that was about when Jenna turned to her with a fake smile.

"So, tell me about this guy, Stefan's brother," she said, and Elena knew that she wouldn't be getting anything from her about Jeremy.

* * *

Elena and Bonnie were walking around the town center, programs about 'the night of the comet' in their hands, which they were distributing to everyone, something they had promised Caroline to do.

"Tonight, night of the comet," Bonnie said as she handed another program out.

"Would you like a program?" Elena asked to another person.

"So, you not even going to attempt getting to know Stefan, but you plan on doing so with his brother?" Bonnie said.

"I've told you a few time, Bonnie, I'm not interested in Stefan that way. Besides, I'm not going to become his replacement for his ex. I am my own person, after all," Elena said, sighing.

"I know," Bonnie said, not sure of what to say to get Elena to give Stefan a chance. She knew that Stefan and Elena could be good – how, she wasn't sure, of course – but the fact that Elena had discovered that Stefan apparently over his last girlfriend road blocked her ideas on how to convince Elena to get with him. Then, she got an idea.

"But what if it wasn't true? What if Damon was lying to you?" she said, distaste on her face as she said Damon's name. She didn't actually know who he was – having never met him – but he was kind of getting in her way of setting Elena and Stefan up. And, of course, the fact that Damon was the guy she had been gushing about earlier didn't help her out either.

"Oh, and so my feelings on the matter don't matter?" Elena scoffed, becoming extremely irritated with Bonnie. "Bonnie, all Damon did was confirm what _I_ had already worked out. Also, Stefan made it clear that Damon was right with his behavior – he really didn't have a reason to be so mad at me for simply speaking to Damon, and I know that he overheard some of what we were talking about. I mean, we weren't talking about his ex, but the conversation when he came in could easily have translated into having been talking about the ex, so he knew that I knew. And he was so mad at Damon, which mean that he didn't want me to know, ergo, it's truth."

Bonnie opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could, Caroline, who had noticed them stopping to talk, came up to them.

"Guys, program, need to hand them out," she said, grabbing Bonnie's arm and pulling her away from Elena. In truth, Caroline could see Elena become a bit irritated with Bonnie, and decided to talk to Bonnie. Caroline knew that Bonnie believed that Elena and Stefan would make a good couple – mostly because Bonnie kept telling her while Elena kept complaining about Bonnie's insistence – and, in truth, she couldn't understand why. Once the rose-colored glasses were taken away from her – AKA, once she realized and got over the fact that Stefan didn't want her – she had begun to study him a bit, and what she saw, she didn't care for.

Elena, left alone, let out a rather relieved breath. She had to admit, it was a good thing that Caroline had appeared – she would have gone off on Bonnie if she hadn't. Continuing to walk around and hand out the programs, she started when that strange feeling that she was beginning to associate with Damon came back. She looked up rather quickly to see Damon standing just a bit away, looking intently at her.

She began to approach him, only to have him disappear before she got there when a group of people walked in front of her, blocking her view. She looked everywhere – she knew that he was still there, though, as the feeling, while not strong, was still coursing through her – and sighed when she discovered that he really was gone.

She had to wonder if she had really actually seen him, or if she had just imagined it as she continued to hand out the programs.

* * *

Meanwhile, Damon watched Elena from his place on top of one of the buildings nearby. He didn't know why he was so drawn to her as he was, and, frankly, he didn't like it. This Katherine look-a-like was confusing him, an act that would normally have him killing her just to fix his little world so things made sense, but something kept stopping him.

He tried to tell himself that it was because he wanted to play with her to hurt Stefan, but the fact that it wouldn't really have the impact he had originally thought it would – her disinterest, which threw him off a bit, in Stefan meant it was very doubtful that Stefan would have a chance, meaning that stealing her away wouldn't be something that would really be happening. At least, not the way he had originally saw it.

He then tried to tell himself that it was because she looked like Katherine, but that actually didn't hold much bearing, because she was so different from her, in almost every way, outside of looks.

In truth, he really didn't have a reason not to kill her, outside of whatever force was stopping him…which, he figured, was the same force that was making him so drawn to her. He had to admit, though, when he was looking for her, it was incredibly easy to do so, as he just had to let this force guide him to her.

Realizing that she was leaving, he headed back to the boarding house, arriving just in time to hear Zach asked, "What is Damon doing here? Why did he come home?"

Slowing down, he stopped were he was, leaning against a tree while waiting for Stefan to answer – he knew he would, as Stefan's senses weren't good enough for him to hear past a certain point outside the house, especially when Damon was being sneaky – then, Stefan wouldn't be able to discover him until Damon was practically on top of him – like when Stefan realized that Damon was in Mystic Falls to begin with.

"'Cause I came home," Stefan said. Damon rolled his eyes at the assumption, despite the fact that, in any other circumstance, it would be true. "He wants to make my life miserable. That's how he enjoys his."

"Well, he's putting us all at risk," Zach said. Damon, who knew that Zach was on that little vampire hunter council in this town, also knew that he would probably end up run out of town if they discovered that he had family that were vampires, knew about it, and actually didn't kill them on sight. "This girl at the hospital could talk."

"She won't. I took care of her," Stefan said. Damon didn't have to be in the room to know that Zach wouldn't be bothered at these words – Stefan was really well known in the family as the one least likely to kill a potential informant. Now, if it was Damon on the other hand…

"You're sure?" Zach asked, and Damon was careful not to snort. It seemed that Zach didn't think that Stefan could perform the compulsion properly.

"I'm not sure, Zach," said Stefan, much to Damon's surprise. From the way he was acting earlier, he seemed very sure. Then again, he probably didn't want to admit this in front of Damon. It seemed that Stefan knew him well enough that admitting weakness in front of him would not be a good thing.

"I don't know how well it worked. I'm not as strong as Damon," continued Stefan.

"So what happens if it doesn't work?" asked Zach worriedly.

"I don't know," said Stefan. "I'll deal with it."

"Is she worth it?" Zach asked suddenly after the pause that followed Stefan's last words. "Uncle Stefan, the girl you came back for. Is she worth it?"

"Yes," Stefan said immediately. Upon hearing that last word, Damon turned around and left, not letting the two know that he had been there to begin with.

* * *

"Okay, I've got some more candles," said Caroline, handing them out to those surrounding her. After she got one, Elena turned to walk away when she almost ran into Matt.

"Hi!" she said brightly. "Hey."

"Hey," Matt answered back, wondering why she seemed so happy, though he probably would have regretted asking if he had knew the answer. Luckily for him, he didn't think of asking, and, instead, held out his lip candle to the wick of hers.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he said, going off to help light some others.

Elena walked around for a bit, lighting some other candles as she came across those who hadn't had theirs lit yet when she saw – well, felt – that Damon was nearby. Looking around, she quickly found him, standing at the edge of those who had gathered around.

Going to move toward him, she ended up distracted when Stefan stepped in front of her.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she said, frowning as the feeling disappeared – Damon had left.

"You know, that comet …it's been traveling across space for thousands of years. All alone," Stefan said, not waiting for her to speak. She looked up at the visible comet.

"Yeah. Bonnie says it's a harbinger of evil," Elena said. Despite the fact that she didn't really care to talk to him, her polite upbringing wouldn't really let her dismiss him quite easily, as he really wasn't being the way he was yesterday.

Elena looked down from the sky just in time to see the grimace that crossed Stefan's face.

"I think it's just a ball of…snow and ice, trapped on a path that it can't escape," Stefan said, his tone sounding as if he was trying to convince that that was all it was. Elena was left with the impression that the mention of what Bonnie said upset him for some reason. "And once every hundred forty-five years, it gets to come home."

 _That_ _really_ _doesn_ _'_ _t_ _make_ _sense_ she thought.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I wasn't myself," he said.

"You didn't tell me that you had a brother," she said.

"We're not close. It's, uh…complicated," he said.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Isn't it always. He told me about your ex, Katherine."

Stefan froze – while he had suspected that Katherine had come up, it still came as blow to him to know for sure. "What did he say?" he demanded, afraid to know what twisted lie Damon had told her – of course, he didn't know that Elena hadn't needed to be told about Katherine all that much, as Damon had just confirmed that there was a woman in Stefan's past that Elena looked like.

"That she broke your heart," she semi-lied. While Damon had told her about Katherine, he hadn't quite said that she broke Stefan's heart so much than Elena figured it out herself.

"That was a long time ago," he said defensively, just cementing the fact that he wasn't over it in her mind. After all, he wasn't much older than she was, and she had the feeling that he had most likely been with the girl for a long time, meaning that he most likely received his broken heart not long before he moved to the town. At least, that's what she suspected – it would also explain why he immediately latched onto her.

"When you lose someone, it stays with you, always reminding you of how easy it is to get hurt," said Elena.

"Elena…" he sighed, stepping closer to her. She stepped back, and refused to look him in the eyes – she didn't know why, but her danger senses were going off like crazy at the moment. As for the not looking in the eyes, well, she remembered how she had looked in his eyes the other day, and suddenly wanted to tell him what he had asked. She didn't want to risk him trying to control her.

"Look, Stefan," she said. "I don't know exactly what you're expecting from me, and, well, frankly, I don't care. I'm not your type, and you are definitely not my type. Plus, even if I was interested, it would still be complicated, too complicated to even contemplate dating. You have very obvious problems with your brother, and you are obviously not over your ex. Don't bother denying it, your just insulting me by doing that. I'm not going to become your replacement."

She turned and left, leaving him standing opened-mouthed at her.

* * *

Damon sat at the bar, nursing a drink, when a waitress passed by, glancing at him before fully stopping and studying him. He turned to her, amused, and recognized her as the girl he attacked. The nametag on her shirt proclaimed her as Vicki. Giving her a smile – he might snack on her again later – he turned back to his drink.

"I know you," she suddenly said, making him look at her again.

"Well, that's unfortunate," he quipped. It seemed that Stefan didn't do his little trick properly, just as he suspected. Vicki, looking confused, shook her head.

"Um…I don't…" she started. "I don't know how, but…your face." Realizing that she probably sounded crazy, she said, "Excuse me. Sorry," and hurried away towards the toilets. She couldn't believe that she had just accused some guy – a _hot_ guy, as well – of the fact that he bore a resemblance to so creature that she kept dreaming had attacked her. After splashing cold water on her face, she dried it off and looked in the mirror, letting out a shout when she saw Damon in the reflection.

* * *

Damon watched as everyone ran about, trying to find the girl who stood silently at his side. He didn't need to order her to do anything – he had already given her the orders he wanted her to do. He watched as Matt came up to Stefan, heard him ask Stefan if he had seen Vicki, and turned to look at her, nodding his head before grabbing her around the throat and holding her over the edge – a position, that, should he let go, would result in death for her.

She began to scream and plead with him to let her go, struggling slightly against his hold.

"You really have to stop screaming," Damon commented, almost lazily as he kept his eyes on the speck that was his brother.

"No, please, stop. Don't…" Vicki cried, her words becoming indecipherable.

"Shh," Damon interrupted. "I got you."

" _Excuse_ _me_ ," he heard Stefan say, and he smirked at how predictable his brother was. He purposely let his brother see him, not even bothering trying to hide the fact that he was purposely hold most of Vicki over the edge of the building. In fact, he pushed her out even more, so that her feat were off balanced on the ledge.

"No! No!" she cried as Stefan landed on the roof.

"I gotta do it," he said, then heard Stefan behind him.

"I'm not gonna drop you," he then said, rolling his eyes at her. He turned his head to look at Stefan. "Not bad. Have you been eating bunnies?"

" **Let** **her** **go** ," Stefan said, his voice brimming with anger. Vicki began to panic some more.

"Shh," Damon said calmingly, before turning back to Stefan. "Really? Okay."

Stefan's eyes widened as he realized just how badly worded his command had been, while Vicki repeated cried "No." Damon dropped her, quickly grabbing her before she could really fall off.

"Uhh!" he grunted at the slight weight change he felt. He pulled her up over the ledge. "Relax," he said in a mock-concerned voice before letting her go complete after she was actually on solid ground. She stumbled away from him.

"What's happening?" she asked, fear running through her being.

"I don't need her to be dead, but…you might," Damon said, before turning to her. "What attacked you the other night?"

"I don't know. An animal," she answered, though her response was extremely weak, showing her uncertainty.

"Are you sure about that? Think. Think about it. Think really heard. What attacked you?" Damon let some compulsion flow through his voice as he tore through the thoughts planted by Stefan the day before.

"A vampire," she gasped out.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, reaching out to tear the bandage off while pushing though every compulsion he needed too, even his own, to get her to say who did it – he would renew it later, after all.

"You did!" she suddenly cried out, now understanding what those dreams had meant.

"Wrong!" he cried, a bit thankful that he hadn't needed to get rid of all of his compulsion thoughts he had placed in her mind.

"Don't!" Stefan said, understanding immediately what Damon was about to do. Damon ignored him.

"Come here," he said. Vicki immediately walked over. "Stefan Salvatore did this to you," he told her, adding even more layers to his previous compulsion.

"Stefan Salvatore did this to me," she repeated.

"He's a vampire. A vicious, murderous monster," Damon told her.

"Please, Damon. Pease don't do this," Stefan pleaded.

"If you couldn't fix it before, I don't know what you can do now," said Damon, alluding to the fact that Stefan's compulsion hadn't worked all to well before hand. He purposely turned Vicki towards Stefan, causing her to scream and panic at the sight of him. She shrank back into Damon.

"Uhh!" Damon said, rolling his eyes at the rather pathetic looking scene that he'd caused, especially since the girl expected him to protect him. "Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak. A couple of vampire parlor tricks in nothing compared to the power that you could have, that you now need. But you can change that. Human blood gives you that."

"No!" Vicki cried, afraid of Stefan and what Damon seemed to be alluding to. She stumbled away from him, thoughts clouded in fear.

"You have two choices. You can feed and make her forget. Or you can let her run, screaming 'vampire; through the town square," Damon said.

"That's what this is about? You want to expose me?" Stefan said.

"No! I want you to remember who you are!" Damon said firmly. He was tired of Stefan acting like something he wasn't, especially after what Stefan had done to him.

"Why? So what, so I'll feed? So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again?" That last part was said with quite a bit of scorn, while Damon glared at him for even thinking that. In truth, he just wanted Stefan actually fighting him. It was hard to make someone miserable when they weren't fighting back, and making themselves miserable. "You know what, let her go. Let her tell everyone that vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain me up, and let them drive a stake through my heart, because at least I'll be free of you."

Damon just look at him, wondering just how Stefan came to that logic, especially since it could easily lead to Damon himself being killed. Or did Stefan think that? Did Stefan believe that Damon would also die if he was killed? And what about Elena; from the way Stefan acted – even though they weren't together – he would have thought that Stefan would want to get to know Elena some more.

"Huh," he said. "Huh. Wow."

He turned to Vicki. "Come here, sweetheart."

"No!" Vicki cried, though she really didn't have much of a choice when Damon wrapped his arm around her.

"It's okay," he said. He whispered something indecipherable to Stefan in her ear, though Stefan assumed that Damon was using his compulsion to get rid of the memories he had both uncovered and planted, for she immediately began to calm. When he let go of her, she looked around confused, shook her head, and said, "What happened? Where am I? Oh, I ripped my stitches open." She reached her hand up, touching the area. "Ah…" she gasped, pain shooting through her a bit.

"You okay?" asked Stefan tentatively, as if afraid she would start freaking out again.

"I took some pills, man. I'm good," she said. She left, going down the fire escape, where she eventually was found by her super worried overprotective brother.

"It's good to be home," said Damon, after she had gone. "Think I might stay a while. This town could use a bit of a wake-up call, don't you think?"

"What are you up to, Damon?" Stefan asked.

"That's for me to know and for you to…dot dot dot. Give Elena my best." He jumped down, leaving Stefan looking at him with suspicion on his face.

* * *

"She said you found her wandering around," Matt said to Stefan when he entered the grill.

"Yeah," Stefan said.

"So, um, thanks," said Matt. Stefan nodded, his eyes – and ears – finding Elena's friends.

"Uhh. It's just so much drama," Caroline was saying. "Ever notice how the druggies are the biggest attention whores?"

"Yeah," Bonnie said. Stefan walked over to them, looking for Elena.

"Excuse me. Hi," he said, not noticing the frown that crossed Caroline's face.

"Hi," Bonnie said brightly.

"Um, have you guys seen Elena?" he asked.

"I think she went home," Bonnie said, and then looked as if she had an idea. "I'm gonna give you Elena's cell number and her e-mail," she said, ignoring the stink eye Caroline was giving her. Elena so wasn't going to like this. "She is big on texting, and you can tell her…'I said so'."

"Thank you," Stefan said, glad to know that he had at least one supporter among Elena's friends – both Matt and Caroline didn't exactly seem thrilled at the idea of Stefan with Elena. Bonnie wrote out the number and e-mail, and handed it to him. On accident, their hands made contact, and Bonnie gasped when horrific scenes flashed before her eyes.

"You okay?" Stefan asked, concerned – he had forgotten that the Bennett witches were still alive, and that Bonnie was one of them.

"What happened to you?" Bonnie asked, before shaking her head. "That's so rude. I'm sorry. Excuse me." She walked off, Caroline and Stefan staring at her. Caroline looked at Stefan, realizing that Stefan wouldn't know what to think of that and not wanting him to think of Bonnie as crazy – even if Caroline already thought that.

"Yeah, she kind of wigs out like that. It's like her thing," she said, before walking over to Bonnie to say bye. As Stefan left, Caroline was glad that he didn't know that Elena was coming back – she had promised to help with the clean up, and Caroline would call her ass if she tried to flake.

* * *

Elena was just walking through her door at that moment – she would have stayed, but she was hoping that Jeremy had come home, as she still needed to talk to him.

Hearing things being moved around upstairs, she hurried up them, locating the source to be her brother's room.

"Jer?" she said, peering into the room.

"No, it's me, the hypocrite patrol," Jenna said, not stopping her searching.

"What are you doing?" asked Elena.

"I've become my worst nightmare. The authority figure who has to violate a fifteen-year-old's privacy. Jackpot!"

She held up something. "I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative."

"What brought this on?"

"Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday," Jenna said, sinking down onto a bean bag chair in the room.

"You got tannered," Elena sighed. Did he really have to make things harder than they already were? And did he have to make Jenna feel as if she wasn't doing well when, considering the fact that Jenna wasn't much older than Elena, she was doing pretty well without being overbearing. "Been there."

"'Discover the impossible, Ms. Sommers.' Got it. Thanks. Like I didn't know I was screwing up," Jenna said.

"You're not screwing up, Aunt Jenna," Elena told her.

"Yes I am. You know why? Because I'm not her. She made everything look so easy. You know, high school, marriage, having you. I can't do it. I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse," Elena realized that what was hurting her aunt the most was the fact that Jeremy wasn't doing anything good to himself, and that she was afraid that he would eventually cause irreversible harm to himself, something that Elena wasn't going to allow – "and it's gonna be my fault. It's impossible." She let her head drop into her hands after that.

"That's just fear talking. You're a little scared, that's all. We all are. The important thing, though, is to work through that fear. It may take awhile, but soon you'll see that we're all going to be okay, okay?" She looked at the clock, realizing that she need to get back to the Grill to help Caroline out, as promised.

"Okay, I have to go; there's something I have to do. Are you going to be okay?"

Jenna nodded, and Elena left after the confirmation.

* * *

"Damon," Elena said, fairly happen when she spotted him on his way into the Grill.

"Elena," he said, slightly confused at the happiness she showed him.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked as she walked over to him. He pointed towards the Grill.

"I was planning on getting something to drink. Stefan's brooding at the house, and it's just not the kind of atmosphere I want to be in," he explain, beginning to walk over to the doors. She followed. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I told my friend Caroline that I would help her out with the clean up form tonight's celebration. I don't think there'll be much to clean, but she was adamant about someone helping her out, and I volunteered, so…"

"Ah," he said holding open the door for her. She smiled at him as she walked in. Continuing to talk to him, she didn't notice the eyes that were watching her with surprise. Matt, from were he sat, watched as Elena once walking into the grill with a guy, only this time she looked as if she was having a good time with said guy. Jeremy, who hadn't actually seen her with Stefan at the Grill that day, but had seen her at he party with, was able to tell that she was rather happier with the guy standing with her now than she had been with Stefan. Caroline, who also could see the look of joy, admiration, and want on Elena's face, knew that this was the guy Elena wanted.

She walked over to them, plans already forming in her mind. She knew that she wouldn't really have any chance of going after this guy without severely hurting her best friend, and, while he was extremely handsome, the look on his face told her that he might feel the same for Elena, though he might fight it.

"Hey," she said, gaining the two's attention. "I thought I would have to call and remind you to come help," she continued, making the universal eye gesture of 'introduce me, please' to Elena. She got the message immediately.

"Caroline, this is Damon, Damon Salvatore. He's Stefan's older brother," she said.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Caroline said. "Would you like to sit down with us?"

Elena really didn't give him a chance to deny the invitation, grabbing his arm and pulling him with her. Amused – he hadn't realized the impression he had left her with before – he let her do so, despite the fact that he would normally be offended and want to kill the person who thought they could control him.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't realize that, by following the two girls, he was resigning himself to an rather lengthy interrogation by Caroline, who was determined to find out everything about him, for Elena. It was only when Matt came by to tell Caroline that they were going to be closing in half an hour that she remembered the fact that she had some things she needed to do, the very things she had asked Elena to help her with, in fact.

"Oh, ah…" she started, only to see everything already done, and a box on the table next to them.

"I already took care of it for you. You just need to take it to your car," Matt said.

"Okay," Caroline said.

"I'll be right back," Elena said, standing up and heading to the bathroom. Caroline watched her go before turning back to Damon, ready to ask him some questions without Elena being there.

"So, what do you think of Elena?" she asked.

"She's interesting. I have to admit, I like how to blew my brother off the other day," he said. She smiled.

"Yeah, well, he's being a bit overbearing towards her, which is not something she cares for," she said, pulling out a pen. She grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm giving you her cell number and e-mail. I know she probably wants you to have it," she said, writing it down, "but I also know that she won't offer it straight up. So, I think this will make her happy. She likes texting a lot, and when you do text or call her, let her know 'your welcome' from me."

He didn't have time to answer – he wasn't quite sure what he would say anyways – before Elena came back. Caroline left then, taking the box with her as she told the two bye and walked out of the place, feeling good for doing a good deed for Elena.

* * *

"How did you get here?" Elena asked as they left the Grill together.

"Walked," he said. She turned to him, wide eyed.

"You walked all the way from the boarding house," she said. "That had to of been a long walk."

"I guess," Damon said, shrugging. "It didn't really seem long to me."

"Well, would you like a ride back?" she asked. He shook his head.

"No, I'm good." They had reached her car by now, and he opened the door for her, allowing her to get in.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," she said, slightly questioning him.

"Tomorrow," he agreed – why, he wasn't sure. After closing the door for her and watching her leave, he sped off to the boarding house, his original plans of finding some girl to feed off of ruined, for he couldn't get Elena out of his mind. He knew he had to figure out why she was making him feel the way he was feeling – feelings not only didn't work for him, but it also distracted him from his real goal.

He couldn't let himself get any more distracted and knew that he should refrain from seeing Elena, but it was hard to stick to that plan when he wanted to see her again.

He went straight to the liquor cabinet when he arrived back home.


	4. Friday Night Bites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Delena flavored Episode III of Season I.**

"So, did you get any interesting calls or texts last night?" Caroline asked. Elena smiled and then frowned.

"Yes and yes. However, only one was really interesting and worth getting," she said, then looked at Caroline. "So, you have any idea at all how Damon got my cell number, or why he sent me a text last night?"

Caroline's smile said it all, and Elena happily hugged her. She had been surprised when she got a text before bed from him, and had spent almost two hours texting back and forth. Most of what they had texted to each other was just plain old banter, nothing really important, though they did divulge some non-banter talk. She now knew that Damon's coloring came from his mother, he was a fantastic cook, which he would be proving this too her, too; and he never really got along with his father. In place of that, Elena told him about how she got along great with her mother, how her parents had died, and how she was feeling a bit frustrated with her brother.

As Elena parted from Caroline, a frown made it's way onto her face as she remembered the text she received that morning.

"Do you know how Stefan happened to get my number?" she asked, frowning as she thought of the unwanted text.

"Yeah, that was Bonnie," she said. Elena frowned, wondering what Bonnie was thinking. She thought she had been clear, after all.

"I know," Caroline said, understanding the frown on Elena's face. "I didn't get on her case, though, because she literally left within seconds of doing that, and she was all freaked out."

Before Elena could ask why, Stefan walked up.

"Good morning, Elena. Good morning, Caroline," he said, and it was obvious who he was more excited to talk to to the girls.

"Hi," Caroline said. "Well, I'm going to go find Bonnie; I have something to ask her." She hurried off, ignoring Elena's expression of 'don't leave me.' She knew that it was a cruel thing to do and she would be hearing it later, but she couldn't stand being around Stefan all that much; since being rejected, she had begun to notice that he had a creepy vibe around him.

Elena held back the grimace that fought to come over her face when she turned to face Stefan again.

"She doesn't like me very much," he said.

"Can you blame her. You did kind of cruelly reject her and make her feel like an idiot," Elena said. Turning to walk off, she found herself stuck with him following her.

Meanwhile, down the hall, they were being watched by two people, Matt and Tyler Lockwood.

"Look," Tyler said. "There's Elena and her new boyfriend. Now, what are they doing? Oh, they're walking, walking, walking...yep. Right into the sunset."

"You're a dick," Matt said. "Elena already told me that they're not together."

"It doesn't appear that way," Tyler said "And you still want her, right?"

"So. What am I supposed to do?" Matt asked. He knew that, even if he did still want her, it wouldn't do anything good. She had made that clear. _So why was I asking Tyler what I should do to get her back_ he thought to himself.

"Let her know she's making the wrong choice," Tyler said, grabbing the football that Matt had been holding.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked. When he saw Tyler pull his arm back, preparing to throw the ball, he said, "Ty, don't!" However, it was too late, as Tyler let the ball fly. Unfortunately for him, his preferred effect wasn't what he got, for Stefan turned at the last second and made a rather spectacular catch. He then threw it back to Tyler, who caught it, shock all over his face.

"Wow, that was a good throw," someone said in front of them. They turned to see Bonnie standing there. "I didn't know you played football."

"I used to," Stefan said, and Elena could tell which of her friends Stefan actually liked. "It was a long time ago."

 _How could it be a long time ago_ Elena thought, _he's not that old._

"So why don't you try out for the team?" Bonnie then asked him. Elena left them to their conversation.

* * *

"World war II ended... Anyone got anything? Miss June?" Mr. Tanner asked. The girl shook her head. "1945," he supplied.

Bonnie, who had purposely taken a seat next to Stefan because she had still been talking to them – and because the class had been mostly full, and she had noticed that Elena had somehow gotten herself in a corner with Caroline on one side and Joan June in front of her – leaned over when she saw that Tanner wasn't looking in her direction as he continued to talk about something.

"Psst," she whispered, getting Stefan's attention. "FYI... Our team sucks. They could use you."

"Can't," he whispered back.

"Pearl Harbor?" Tanner said.

"I'm a loner," Stefan continued. Bonnie was about to say something else, not having noticed that Tanner had turned around and noticed her leaning toward Stefan.

"Miss Bennett? Pearl Harbor?" he asked. Bonnie paled.

"Hmm? Pearl Harbor?" she asked questioningly. Tanner gave her a look as he made a sound.

"December 7th, 1941," Stefan said. Liking Bonnie the most out of Elena's friends, he wasn't about to let her get into trouble, especially since it was his fault a bit.

"Thank you, Miss Bennett," Tanner said, making it clear that he wasn't asking Stefan for the answer, Stefan, however, considered it to be a challenge.

"Anytime," he said, causing everyone to look at him incredulously. Was he really trying to pick a fight with Tanner?

Tanner's eyes were narrowed at him. "Very well," he said. "The fall of the Berlin wall?"

"1989," Stefan said promptly, then he warned Tanner. "I'm good with dates, sir."

"Are you?" Tanner sneered. "How good? Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act."

"1964," Stefan answered.

"John F. Kennedy assassination?"

"1963."

"Martin Luther King?"

"'68."

"Lincoln?"

"1865."

"Roe vs. Wade?"

"1973."

"Brown vs. Board?"

"1954."

The battle of Getysburg?"

"1863."

"Korean war?"

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha!" Tanner said suddenly. "It ended in '52."

"Uh, actually, sir, it was '53," Stefan said. Tanner looked angrily at him, but could also see that the students weren't sure which if them were right. He couldn't have that.

"Look it up, somebody. Quickly!" he snapped. There was a flurry of movement as everyone began to flip through their books. Joan June was the one who found it first.

"It ended 19..." she paused, eyes wide, and then looked up. "53."

Tanner's face began to go red in fury at being shown up by Stefan once again as everyone began to talk about it.

"How did you know all of that?" Bonnie asked.

"Years and years of crossword puzzles. It's a loner thing," he added, seeing her confused look.

"Oh," she said, and then she had an idea. She knew that Elena would have cheer practice later on, and couldn't help but think that Stefan would be more inclined to join the team if he knew that Elena was a cheerleader; it was almost a guarantee that the cheerleaders and football players would spend a lot of time together.

"Look, before you continue to throw off joining the team, at least check out their practice for today," she said. "Who knows, you may want to join after that."

"Alright," Stefan said, finally agreeing because she could tell that Bonnie wasn't going to give up trying to get him to join.

* * *

As Stefan looked in on the practice, he constantly found his eyes drawn to the cheerleaders – or, rather specifically, one cheerleader. He hadn't known that Elena was one, and, just like Bonnie had suspected, he found himself more willing to think about joining the team. He turned and walked back to the school, wondering what he would needed to do in order to join the team.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the field, Elena sat down, pulling out her phone. Caroline sat down next to her.

"You don't seem to be as into this as you used to," Caroline commented. Elena sighed.

"I'm not," she said. "It just...it doesn't seem like me anymore."

"Well, who knows, I mean, this is your first practice since the accident. Maybe you just need to get back into the swing of things," Caroline said, trying to cheer Elena up, as she could tell that Elena wasn't happy about her change of heart.

Elena was about to say something when she received a text. Looking at it, a smile crossed her face as she opened it and read, " _Want to meet at the Grill?"_ It had been sent by Damon. Caroline, who was reading it over her shoulder, squealed.

"Say yes," she said immediately.

"But, practice," Elena said.

"Oh, right," Caroline said, thinking. "Ask him to come pick you up at the school." Caroline had been the one to drive her there today, and Elena could see exactly what Caroline was hinting at.

"Okay," she said, quickly typing it out. Damon texted back immediately.

"I'll see him here is a few minutes," Elena said, squeeing.

Bonnie, who had just arrived at that moment, had heard what Elena said, and asked, "Who will you see in a few minutes?" She had the beginnings of a smile on her face, believing that she knew the answer – after all, Stefan was the one with Elena's cell number and all, and it only made sense that Elena would have realized that Stefan was the one she wanted anyways – but the smile fell when Elena said, "Damon. He's coming to pick me up in a few minutes."

"But...practice," Bonnie began, completely confused. She wondered how Damon had got Elena's cell number, and decided that Damon had found it from Stefan somehow – it never crossed her mind that Elena or Caroline might have given it to her.

"We've been doing it for the last hour," Caroline said. "Which, by the way, you're very late to. While the rest of us will continue for the next hour, I don't want to push Elena here to much. She knows the routine already, so it's not like she won't be ready for the game Friday." Caroline didn't bother mentioning that she actually wasn't sure they would even need Elena, knowing that Elena wouldn't exactly take the news all to well if she said that.

"While we're waiting, why don't we run through what you missed out on, Bonnie," Elena said, and they ran through it once again.

Damon arrived at that moment, getting out of his car and leaning against it to watch. Elena and Caroline didn't notice him for a while, busy with running through the routine again. Damon didn't do anything to call attention to him, just watched Elena, noticing that she was missing a certain...emotion as she did the routine.

Damon's eye brow rose when he saw Stefan come out onto the field. He barely stifled a laugh as Stefan began to play ball with the others. His eyes rolled as he realized why Stefan was attempting to join the team – he had given Elena a quick glance before he began to play. Damon wondered if Stefan realized yet the Elena wasn't going to be there much longer.

"Hey, whose the hottie?" one of the other girls asked, pointing towards the parking lot. Elena smiled when she saw Damon, just standing there, leaning against his car, looking like he had no care in the world, a rebel without a cause sort of deal. Around them, all the girls on the team stared at Damon when they noticed him. Even Bonnie did, though her stare had a bit of anger in it. Her whole want of Elena to be with Stefan made her hate Damon instantly, and thinking that he would just use Elena.

"I'll see you guys later," Elena said, before Bonnie could get a word out. She hurried over to Damon, her smile radiant.

"Hey," she said as she got into his car.

"I didn't know you were a cheerleader," he said, pulling out as she buckled herself up.

"Yeah," she said, not exactly enthusiastic about the subject. He seemed to get that, and they drove over to the grill in silence.

Meanwhile, in the field, Caroline and Bonnie watched as the car drove away. Once it was out of sight, Bonnie turned to Caroline.

"What are you doing, encouraging her to go with a guy like that," Bonnie hissed.

"A guy like what?" Caroline asked, completely nonplussed at Bonnie. "Look, I know for some reason you seem to be on a Stefan and Elena kick, but, really, you need to quit it. Not only are you completely ignoring the signs, but you're also ignoring what Elena wants. It's not Stefan, Bonnie. In fact, Elena doesn't even like him and she's actually irritated at you for telling him her cell number."

"No she not," Bonnie said. "She would have told me if she was."

"She couldn't," Caroline said. "You've spent most of the day talking to Stefan, and ignoring her when she gave you the 'we need to talk' signals. However, I do know, because when we were talking this morning, she thanked me for giving Damon her cell number, but then got on my case wondering about Stefan managing to get her number. She was seriously pissed and unhappy with you for doing that,"

Bonnie's mouth dropped at Caroline's admission to giving Damon Elena's cell number. Her mouth stayed opened when Caroline mentioned that Elena wasn't happy with her. She went to say something to her, but Caroline had turned to the rest of the girls.

"All right, let's start with the double pike herkey hurdler this time. What do you say?" Caroline said, and Bonnie quickly got into her place as Caroline directed them. Bonnie did, however, notice when Stefan joined the boys on the field, which sent a smile through her; her plan had worked. And, once again, the fact that Elena didn't want him just disappeared from her mind as she thought about how cute of a couple the two would be.

She knew that Elena would eventually see that, and the fact that they would be spending a lot of time together would see to it.

* * *

"So, here we are," Damon said as he pulled up to her house. Her time at the grill was pretty good – they ended up playing pool and, once again, talking about nonsensical things, though there was some important talk.

Damon, it turned out, was a bit like his brother, a history buff. He was also a bit of a math wiz and knew quite a few great books, some that Elena had read, others that she hadn't. There was a moment when, upon mentioning it, he promised that he would bring her one of his favorite books for her to read, saying she would probably like it. This was after, of course, she managed to get him to agree to tutor her in history and math.

As it was getting late, Elena knew that she ought to get home soon, and, though he was tempted to compel her to stay, Damon decided not to – or, rather, thought he shouldn't. For some reason, the idea of compelling her for, well, anything was distasteful to him.

Elena was silent for a moment, looking down, then spontaneously asked, "Would you like to join my family and I for dinner tomorrow night?" She immediately regretted it; no one in her family could cook, at all, which usually resulted in them having to call takeout.

He looked at her, startled at the spontaneous question. A few minutes went by without an answer, and she began to become more and more nervous, until she had the feeling that he was thinking of a nice way to say no.

"Sure," he finally said.

"Really?" she said, then,cringing a bit, she added, "Um, I hope you don't mind takeout. None of us can cook."

"I don't mind takeout," he said. "And I would love to come. However, how about I come over early, and make something for you and your family?"

She smiled brightly.

"Okay. Um, I have practice again tomorrow; why don't you pick me up from the school again, and we can head straight to my house from there?" she said.

"Okay, then. See you tomorrow," he said, taking her hand, lifting it, and gently kissing the back of it once again. Nodding, she said, "Tomorrow," before stumbling out of the car, and heading to her house. Jenna was already there, standing next to the door as she watched Elena come in.

"Who was that?" she asked, startling Elena a bit. Still, before she'd done that, Jenna saw the look on Elena's face, and knew that whoever this guy was was the one who had made her so happy the other day.

"Oh, that was Damon, Damon Salvatore," Elena answered, a bit of a goofy look on her face.

"Wait, Salvatore, as in related to the Stefan who is forbidden to ever come here Salvatore," Jenna demanded, knocking Elena out of her head. Elena winced.

"Yeah. But he's nothing like Stefan," Elena said, quickly assuring her aunt. "You'll see what I mean. I invited him over for dinner tomorrow night."

"But none of us can cook, Elena," Jenna said.

"Well, he says he can, so he's going to come over early and cook for us," Elena said. "I did remember that we can't cook, and even told him that it would most likely be takeout, and he offered, so..."

Jenna nodded her head. "So, basically, you're going to make you're guest cook for us," she said. Elena winced.

"I agreed to let him," Elena said. "He kind of was planning on doing cooking for me at some point, it just became cooking for the entire family instead of just me somehow." She thought for a moment. "And I might invite Caroline as well. She's taken to him quite well – you know, as a friend – and, unlike Bonnie, she's being very supportive of me and Damon."

"What do you mean, unlike Bonnie?" Jenna asked, noticing her tone when talking about one of Elena's oldest friends. She watched as Elena made a face.

"Bonnie's been...well, she'd been trying to push me onto Stefan," Elena said. "She even went so far as giving him my cell number. I blocked him, and got on her case for it, but... I don't know, it's like she been possessed by something when it comes to him. When she saw Damon, she had a look of instant hate on her face because I showed interest in him instead of Stefan."

"That is weird," Jenna said. "I hope this doesn't effect your friendship."

"I have the feeling that it will," Elena said. "She's determined that I'm 'destined' to be with Stefan, and with the addition of her supposedly being psychic, and probably thinking she 'saw' it, she just won't let it go."

Jenna frowned. "Would it helped if I told her I'd ship you off to a all-girl's boarding school were he wouldn't even be allowed near the campus if you decided to date him?" Jenna asked.

Elena snorted. "Would you really?" Elena asked.

"Yes," Jenna said, completely serious, which caused Elena's mirth to fade. "I'm sorry, but he...he's a creep, simple as that, and I don't want you dating a creep."

"Don't worry," Elena said. "Unless he can brainwash me, I won't be dating him."

Jenna gave a happy smile. "Good," she said. "So, what time is you're friend coming tomorrow?"

""Well, he's going to be picking me up after cheer practice, and we might swing by the story, so around five," Elena said. "I'm not completely sure."

"So I should expect you anywhere between four thirty and five," Jenna said. Elena nodded in agreement.

"Okay, then," Jenna said. She turned to walk up the stairs, then stopped and looked at Elena.

"Are you expecting Jeremy to be here as well?" Jenna asked, looking a bit pensive. Considering her lack of being parental, she wasn't sure if she'd actually be able to make Jeremy stay if he was expected.

"Just tell him that there's going to be a dinner party," Elena said, after thinking. "And that you're not cooking."

"That might work," Jenna said, sure that Jeremy wouldn't be able to miss out on the free food. Elena smiled at her, able to easily guess what Jenna was thinking, before walking into the kitchen to look for something to eat.

* * *

Meanwhile, Damon arrived home, his mood great. He'd spent quite a bit of time with Elena, even wrangling a dinner invite from her – well, he rather offered to make dinner for her and her family after she offered to have him over, only for her to admit that none of them knew how to cook. Still, it would get him an invitation into the house, something that it seemed that Stefan was no where near receiving, if the way Elena was acting about him was true.

He, of course, wasn't really ready to admit that accepting the invitation wasn't just because it would get him in her house. His emotions – the pesky things he thought he'd gotten rid of already – were confusing him. When he was in her presence, he felt drawn to her, able to picture himself with her – _her_ , not Katherine – as vampires, roaming the world together.

And even out of his presence, he still thought about her – only, without whatever it was that drew him to her at work, he was able to fake his way through it, trying to convince himself that he was just going to play with her until he got Katherine back. Also, the fact that it would annoy Stefan a lot was also a good enough reason to continue talking to Elena – even though, when he was away from her and the force that seemed to draw them together was absent, there was a part of him that still generally wanted to get to know her for her, nothing else.

Heading straight to his liquor cabinet, he poured himself a glass of scotch, thinking about what would happen when Stefan discovered his and Elena's 'date' tomorrow. _Speaking of Stefan..._

He heard the front door open and close, his eyes immediately seeing Stefan head up the stairs. After waiting a few moments, finishing up his drink, Damon followed, coming to a stop outside the opened door. Damon waited for Stefan to acknowledge him, realizing rather quickly that it wasn't going to happen.

"How were tryouts? Did you make the team?" Damon started asking; a small part of him was wondered if, perhaps, Stefan's sudden desire to join the team was because of who was on the cheerleader squad – it had always been something he'd seen, cheerleaders going for any guy in sports – even if it was just a one night deal. Perhaps Stefan was thinking that he and Elena would become the golden couple that way. The thought made him roll his eyes; it also made him feel the need to do his best to get Elena off the cheerteam.

Damon picked up Stefan's diary, flipping to the most recent pages. "Very Emerson of you, you know?" he said, reading what Stefan had written. "The way you reveal your soul with so many..." He paused, trying to come up with a word to say. "Adjectives," he finally said.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan said, grabbing his diary from Damon.

"I've come to apologize," Damon said. Stefan gave him a disbelieving look. "I've been doing some thinking, some soul searching, and...I want us to start over." Stefan started at him, and Damon continued. "You're my little brother, and if you want a to live a normal, happy, _human_ life, the I want that for you." Stefan glared at him, immediately realizing that every word being say was sarcasm. Damon's emphasis on the word human told him that. "Maybe I ban do it, too. That I can learn to be a non-living living person. Maybe there's hope for both of us."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "You know, it doesn't have to be this way, Damon," he said.

"Of course it doesn't," Damon said, a mixture of sympathy and sarcasm in his voice. Then, he grinned, thinking of something that he knew would irritate Stefan. "I saw Elena today, btw. That means 'by the way'. She was at cheerleading practice. She looked perky in her little short shorts."

Steam seemed to come from Stefan's ears, he looked so mad.

"Just simmer down, I didn't do anything," Damon said. "Well, anything she didn't want." He dodged out of the way as Stefan flew at him once again. "I let you do that trick once already. You're not getting a free hit in again," he said. "Besides, she asked me to come, texted me and everything – are you aware of the fact that we're getting along so great, much better than you are with her. See, she actually _likes_ me."

"You're compelling her," Stefan said.

"Strangely, no," Damon said. "There's got to be something wrong with the fact that I haven't needed to do it just once, but, I'm sure that I will eventually."

Stefan tried to attack again, and this time, Damon retaliated, grabbing him by the neck and quickly spinning around, holding him up against the wall.

"Like I said, you're not getting a free hit in again," Damon said. "I suggest that you don't do that again. Now, I've got somethings to do; eat, plan, wait anxiously for my date with Elena tomorrow. You know, those kind of things. Bye."

Damage done, Damon disappeared. Stefan slumped against the wall of his room, Damon's words on repeat in his mind. He had a date with Elena tomorrow? How? And what did he mean 'texted it to him'? Did he have her cell number? He thought Bonnie only gave it to him?

He growled as he realized what had happened. Damon must've snuck into his room and gotten his phone somehow. He knew that he should have put the number under something that Damon wouldn't have figured out, instead of the heading 'My Elena'. That must have been how he got her number...

And he must be compelling her, probably began sometime before he saw her this morning. Damon wasn't here at the house when he left, after all...

With that thought in mind, he stood up, knowing what he would have to do. In order to break the compulsion on Elena, he would have to compel her himself. _Maybe I can tell her to give me a chance while I'm at it_ a small part of his mind thought as he walked to his car and headed to her house.

* * *

At the Gilbert house, Elena was in the attic, going through some of the boxes up there, looking for something that she thought she might have put up there. She'd just found her mother's jewelry box, and was debating whether or not to take it down when she heard Jenna speak.

"I was wondering where you wonder off," Jenna said, coming to sit down next to her. She smiled sadly as she saw what Elena was holding. "I remember when you're mother got that."

"I was wondering if it's worth bringing it down with me or not," Elena said.

"You should," Jenna said, as they both stood up – Elena had the feeling that she wasn't going to find what she was looking for, but decided that she'd found something a bit better. "I know your mother would want you to have it and it's contents."

"Okay," Elena said, walking down to her room. Jenna followed, and watched as Elena opened the box up. Inside were a few bracelets and necklaces, rings and earrings. Almost all the pieces were like lockets, or made to hold something – a few pieces had a liquid in them, while others had some sort of plant.

"You father was always giving her something that could hold that vervain," Jenna said when Elena picked up a necklace with the liquid in it. "Like drinking it, she always liked wearing something with it. I never got an answer as to why, though they always had some kind of serious look on their faces when the question came up. It was like there was some secret about it, a secret I wasn't privledged to know yet." She shrugged, clearly not wanting to add on the rest of that sentence.

"Here," Elena said, opening the clasp. "I think this would look good on you."

"Oh, I couldn't..." started Jenna, but the look on Elena's face said that she wasn't going to be taking no for an answer. She let Elena place it on her, then went back to the box, looking through the pieces until she found a simple silver necklace with a fairy holding a clear bottle of the vervain liquid.

"If you're going to have me wear this necklace, then you have to wear this one," Jenna said, helping Elena put it on. "That looks beautiful on you. You should wear it tomorrow."

"Thanks," Elena said, studying the necklace. "I think I will."

The doorbell rang right then.

"Oh, that must be the pizza," Jenna said, hurrying downstairs. Elena followed after her, planning on heading into the kitchen to get the plates and cups ready. However, as he aunt was in front of her, Elena immediately saw that, when Jenna opened the door, it wasn't the pizza guy. Instead, much to her and her aunt's displeasure, Stefan stood there.

"What are you doing here?" Jenna snapped, glaring at the young man in front of her. Elena's eyes widened as her mouth fell open in disbelief. What, did Stefan not know how to take a hint?

"Aunt Jenna," Elena said. "I'll take care of it."

"No, let me," Jenna said. "I don't want you talking to him." Jenna's words spoke of a clear dismissal of Elena's presence. Elena shrugged, not really wanting to talk to Stefan anyway, and continued her walk into the kitchen. She could hear Jenna arguing with Stefan, from there, though not in a way that she could understand all the words – she suspected that Jenna's trying to keep her voice down for her sake.

Elena was surprised when, upon hearing the door close, Jenna walked into the room carrying the pizza.

"He came just as Stefan finally left," Jenna said, placing the boxes onto the counter. She was silent for a moment, looking at Elena with a look, as if she was trying to decide if what she was going to say was worth it or not.

"What?" Elena asked.

"You know that, if Damon is just like his brother, I'm going to have to pull out the parental control and say you can't see him, right?" Jenna said.

"Don't worry, Jenna," Elena said. Damon is _nothing_ like Stefan."

"You better be right," Jenna said, going to the pizza know that what she had wanted to say was said.

"I am," Elena murmured quietly. "Once you're in his company, you'll see what I mean."

* * *

Stefan had a hard time not destroying something after his encounter with Elena's Aunt. She had absolutely refused to let see Elena, in or out of the house. Add in that, like the other night, he couldn't compel her, and he had, in his mind, a very good reason to destroy something.

Now he had to wait until school the next day, and hope he could get her alone, without anyone interrupting him. He frowned, thinking about who might be able to help him out with that. He immediately crossed off Elena's blonde friend – ever since he made it clear that he wasn't interested in dating her, she'd done a quick turn around in her attitude towards him. It was clear that she wasn't on is side, and certainly wouldn't help him in his mission for Elena.

No, he would get help from the blonde one, but, as he though bout it, he might be able to get help from the other one, Bonnie. She already seemed to be helping him anyway. He was sure that she would help him get Elena alone. The thought is enough to calm him down, sure that he'll be able to fix the compulsion Damon had put on Elena.

He didn't realize that things were strained between the two girls, nor the fact that Elena was closer to Caroline. And it never really crossed his mind that Elena might not actually be under any compulsion. He was too far into his own thoughts and assumptions that anything that didn't agree with them wasn't considered.

It was an old habit of him that there was no chance of ever breaking.

* * *

Elena manages to avoid Bonnie and Stefan the first half of the next day. She doesn't do it consciously – in fact, she's not quite aware of the fact that they keep trying to get alone with her. Caroline mostly runs interference, knowing that Elena has no want to speak with Stefan, and that Bonnie would attempt to help him – it didn't miss Caroline's attention that Bonnie and Stefan were speaking together this morning, both glancing at Elena. The fact that Elena told her what had happened the previous day also helped her figure it out.

Unfortunately, Caroline ends up having to stay behind in her class before lunch, and Elena ends up left alone, easy prey for Bonnie and Stefan. And it's Bonnie who approaches her first.

"Hey, Elena," Bonnie said.

"Bonnie," Elena said. "You know, I'm not exactly happy with you, right?"

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked, truly perplexed, as if unaware of what Elena's talking about.

"You gave Stefan my cell number," she clarified. "Knowing that I didn't want anything to do with him."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Come on, Elena," she said. "You can't say you don't feel a little spark towards him."

"I don't," Elena said. "All I feel towards him is a want to get away."

"You don't mean that," Bonnie said insistently.

"Yes I do," Elena said.

"No, you don't," Bonnie argued. "I know you think you do, but Stefan explained to me what's going on with you. Look, Elena, I know you think Damon is harmless and all, but he's just using you. Once you speak to Stefan, you'll see what I mean."

"What -" Elena started to say, only to realize that, as they were talking, Bonnie steered Elena straight towards Stefan.

"That you, Bonnie," Stefan said, and Elena's mouth dropped open and blatant manipulation Bonnie had used on her. She knew that then and there, her friendship with the dark skinned girl would never be the same, especially since the girl didn't seem to respect Elena enough to know her own mind.

"What do you want?" Elena asked point blank, not even attempting to sugar coat or show anything but annoyance towards him.

"Just to talk," Stefan said. "I tried to talk to you yesterday, but you're aunt wasn't very accomodating."

"I wasn't kidding when I said that you weren't welcomed to my house," Elena said flatly. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I heard that you're having my brother over for dinner today," he said.

"Yeah, and..." Elena started.

"It's a bad idea," he said, looking into her eyes. He tried to force the compulsion onto her. "He's not someone you want to be with."

"Excuse me," Elena said, clearly unaffected by the compulsion. "You don't get to dictate who I should and should not be with. If anything, you're attempts to control me say that you're the one I shouldn't be with. I suggest that you go get off your high horse and leave me the hell alone."

She turned and stalked away, stopping for a moment to say something else to him.

"If you come within ten feet of my house, I'm going to go to the cops and have a restraining order put on you for stalking," she said. "I don't want you anywhere near me, and if you can't get it through you're giant head by my words, then perhaps you'll listen to the law."

She walked away, leaving him in confusion from his failed attempt at compulsion. He barely even heard the last words she said. How was it that his compulsion wasn't working on her. He knew that it did work on her before – it's how he found out about her parents, and what she remembered from that night, which, thankfully, was nothing – then again, he had also compelled her not to remember anything, anyway.

So the fact that he can't do it now is...troubling. His first thought is that Damon made sure that he couldn't by giving her vervain. It's gone before he can really contemplate it. Damon would never do that, since giving her vervain would erase any chance of he himself compelling her, and Damon would never want that. His next thought – and the one that he settles on as being more than plausible, and therefore the reason why – is that Damon compelled her not to do anything he, Stefan, tried to get her to do. It is possible, after all, to make sure that compulsion from other vampires don't work, if you're strong. And, unfortunately for Stefan, Damon is exactly that, strong.

He sighs, knowing that, unless he finds a way to break the compulsion, nothing he says will matter. And, unfortunately, he doesn't know how to do that, especially in his current form.

* * *

Caroline could immediately tell that Elena was irritated as she came closer to her. The scowl, angry walk, and indecipherable muttering underneath her breath gave it away, as did the glare she shot towards someone. When Caroline followed her eyes, and saw Bonnie to be the participate of said glare, she was able to piece things together quickly .

"Oh, god, please don't tell me that Bonnie took advantage of the fact that I wasn't nearby to herd you into meeting with Stefan," Caroline said.

"She did. How did you know?" Elena said.

"I saw her talking to Stefan this morning, giving looks towards you. And, considering what you'd just told me when I saw that, I had the feeling that they might try something," Caroline said. "I was kind of interrupting their plans earlier."

"At least, your being a real friend," Elena said. "Bonnie's just been demoted."

"Really?" Caroline said. "But she's been you're best friend since before school." There's a hint of jealousy in Caroline's voice at the mention of just how long Elena and Bonnie have known each other. While her parents had lived in Mystic Falls together, they'd moved away before she was born, living in another town until she was seven, when her father's sexual preference was discovered. While she'd fallen in with Elena and Bonnie, those two had shared a bond that had always made her jealous. Even though she now shared her own bond with the two girls, she wasn't able to let her jealousy fade completely.

"Well, obviously it's not true," Elena said, slightly bitter at the reminder. "If it was, she wouldn't be trying to control and push me towards someone I don't want to be." Elena's mind flashed back to when she was going out with Matt. "It's not the first time she's done it, either. The only difference is, this time, I'm not letting her do so."

Caroline thought about what she said, remembering how, whenever Bonnie wanted something, Elena usually went with what Bonnie wanted, even if Caroline thought that something different should be done. _Maybe that's why I've never been able to shake off my jealousy_ Caroline thought. _With Elena usually siding with Bonnie, it's been hard to do that. And then for Elena to date Matt, after I told Bonnie how I felt about him..._ A thought then occurred to her.

"Elena," Caroline said. "When was the other time she pushed you towards someone you didn't want to be with?"

"She kept pushing me towards Matt," Elena said, not noticing Caroline stiffen at the knowledge. "I finally gave in because I got tired of it, and it wasn't like there was another guy around that I liked, and I'd known Matt for a long time, so I knew that he wouldn't try and pressure me into anything. Unfortunately, the type of girl he really wants is not me."

"He's still pining over you, though," Caroline said.

"That's probably because he's convinced himself that he loves me," Elena said. "We've been together since we were fourteen, and we also grew up together. Add in that I...I broke up with him not long after waking up, and..."

"And he probably thinks that it's grief that had you doing it," Caroline said, remembering that Elena was planning on breaking up with Matt prior to the accident.

"Yup," Elena said. "He still thinks that I'll get back with him, even though it's been a few months."

"Once he hears about you and Damon, he'll move on," Caroline said, still having trouble hearing about what Bonnie had done. She had told Bonnie that she had a crush on Matt, only for her to push Elena towards him instead. Unless she was already doing that before the confession. But Elena didn't get with Matt until three months later, meaning that, even if Bonnie had been bugging Elena before the confession, the fact was, she didn't stop pushing Elena towards him, meant that Bonnie was no longer one of her best friends in her mind.

"So, Damon's going to be coming over for dinner at your house," Caroline said, changing the subject.

"More like he'll be cooking for us, but yeah, he'll be there," Elena said.

"Wow, girl, you work fast," Caroline said. "Already introducing the boyfriend to the parents."

"Technically, it's just the aunt and brother – well, just the aunt. The brother's a bit iffy," Elena said. "And possibly you, if you'll come over."

"Elena, is that your way of asking if I'll come over," Caroline said. Elena nodded her head.

"Of course I will," Caroline said. "I can get all the information you'll need to know about Damon from him for you as well."

Both girls knew that, out of the two – used to be three – of them, Caroline was the one who knew just the right questions to ask about someone, particularly of the male persuasion.

"Okay. Um, you'll have to drive yourself there," Elena said. "Damon's going to be picking me up after cheer practice, and we'll be going to the store...I think. He might actually decide to go there before picking me up."

"So that's why you got a ride with me," Caroline said. Elena nodded. "Sneaky."

* * *

Practice went okay, and dinner went smashingly. Damon treated them to a spaghetti, made the way that he'd been taught to make it – at least, that was what he said. Damon also got along well with Elena's brother and aunt – Jenna commented, while Damon was getting dessert ready, that Elena was right, Damon was nothing like this brother. Elena developed a huge smile at that comment, knowing that Jenna was giving her approval of Damon.

Caroline had also found a plethora of new questions to ask him – Elena learned that Damon's looks and most of his attitude came from their mother, while Stefan was more like their father. Jenna couldn't help herself when she asked if his father was an ass like his brother was. She looked contrite once the words left her mouth, but Damon's laughter calmed her, especially after he made the comment that his father was worse, eventually explaining that he and his father never really got along – he was his mother's child, as he father would often say.

One could see that, when describing his mother, the love he had held for her, as well as the contempt he had for his father, making Elena wonder what exactly happened between them in the short years they'd been together – for Damon plainly said that Stefan wasn't lying when he said they'd died long ago. Of course, unlike Stefan, Damon was nice enough to mention more details about it, namely that his mother had died three years before his father had.

Elena carried several plates into the kitchen, thinking about how successful tonight's dinner was.

"Here's one more," Damon said, handing it to her.

"Oh, thank you," she said.

"No problem," he said. "Now, at the risk of saying something that I probably don't actually know much about, I have to say, I'd quite cheerleading if I were you."

"Why do you say that?" Elena asked, tempted to just to the conclusion that he was either trying to control her, or at he just didn't want her near his brother – Caroline mentioned that Stefan had officially joined the team during dinner, which elicited negative responses from those in the know. Poor Jeremy had been extremely confused, especially since, from what he could tell, Stefan was an okay guy. A quick run up to his attitude since Elena had met him quickly changed that opinion.

"I saw you at practice, before you noticed me. You looked miserable," he explained.

"You saw that?" she asked, frowning. She thought she'd done well to hide that part of her that said that cheerleading wasn't enjoyable anymore.

"Uh-huh," Damon said. She sighed.

"I used to love it," she said. "It was fun. Things are different this year, though. Everything that used to matter doesn't seem to matter anymore."

"So don't let it. Quit, move on. Problem solved. Ta-da," he said. She snorted.

"Some things could matter again," Elena countered.

"Maybe," Damon said. "But...seems a little unrealistic to me."

"Hey. What's taking so long in here?" Caroline asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Elena said. A frown appeared on her face as she realized just how close she and Damon had gotten to each other. If Caroline hadn't walked in when she did, Elena had the feeling that she and Damon would have kissed. Of course, it could just be wishful thinking.

* * *

"Nice jersey," Bonnie said as Stefan walked up to her.

"Thanks," he said, looking over towards where Elena stood, conversing with Caroline. He listened in to the conversation.

"Are you sure you don't want to do any more cheerleading?" Caroline was asking. Stefan had to work on not widening his eyes at that. Elena had quit cheerleading?

"I quit," Elena said, confirming what Stefan had been thinking. "I'm a quitter."

"No, you're not a quitter," Caroline said. "You just...you're not the same as you were before. This, cheerleading, no longer fits with the you that you are now. You should be looking ahead."

"So, you're not mad that I'm opting out of participating tonight," Elena asked.

"No, I'm not. If I hadn't been expecting this, then, yes, I would be, but I have been expecting it, so I had you're replacement already trained in the routine," Caroline said. Elena laughed.

"I take it that's why Sarah was there the last few times," Elena said. Caroline nodded her head.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Bonnie murmured, breaking Stefan's concentration. "And why isn't Elena in her uniform. The games going to start in ten minutes."

She walked over there, as Elena and Caroline started laughing about something.

"And you're not in uniform because..." Bonnie said, interrupting them.

Before Elena could answer, there was a disturbance, and Elena looked over to see Tyler punch her brother.

"Hey," she yelled out, running over to them, followed by Caroline and Stefan.

"Hey, he's down! Enough!" Stefan said firmly, injecting himself into the fight, along with Matt.

"Jeremy, no!" Elena cried out.

"Get off me! Stop!" Matt said, having gotten his arms around Tyler enough to manage to pull him away.

Once Tyler was suitably far away enough, Matt let him go, heading back to Jeremy and Elena. He looked around, noticing the broken shards of a glass that someone brought with them.

"What the hell, Jeremy?" Elena asked, noticing the deep looking cut on Jeremy's face that had to have been given by some kind of glass, most likely whatever it was that had caused the shards that were sprinkled along the ground. "Put your head up, you're bleeding."

"I'm fine!" Jeremy said, pushing her away. Elena swallowed the hurt she felt at the action.

"Yeah, you smell fine," she said, a bit snappy.

"Just stop, okay?" Jeremy said. Matt stepped up to them.

"Come on, man, come on," Matt said, pulling Jeremy towards where they had the first aid stashed. Elena sighed as she watched them go.

"Oh, my God, your hand," she suddenly heard Caroline say. Elena turned to see Stefan's had a wound, a shard of glass in it. At least, that's what she thought she saw, for Stefan immediately turned away.

"No, no, no, it's fine," Stefan said.

"Is it deep? How bad is it?" Caroline started asking, trying to get back to seeing the wound. "Come on."

Elena helped her, managing to get the hand out in the open. Taking a tissue from her purse, she began wiping away the blood, bewilderment setting in as she noticed that the skin was smooth. There wasn't even a scar. But she had been so sure that she'd seen a piece of glass in the wound.

"But..." she started, unable to really make heads or tails of what was going on. "I saw it, it was..."

She glanced at Caroline, who was also looking bewildered.

"He missed," Stefan said. "It's not my blood. See I'm fine."

"No, no, no," Caroline said. "I...we saw it. You had a glass shard in your hand. It was..."

"It's okay. I'm okay," Stefan said. "It's almost kick-off time, all right. So, um, I'll, uh, I'll see you after the game."

Elena didn't say anything, just watched him walk away.

"Well, I've got to get back to the squad, Are you going to be okay?" Caroline asked. Elena nodded her head, walking off towards the parking lot to get her jacket. It suddenly felt a lot colder than it had before, and she wanted her jacket.

She began to have the strange feeling of being watch – well, actually, she felt as if she was being stalked. She would have felt fear at the thought, but the accompanied feeling of being drawn toward the direction that whoever it was stalking her seemed to keep her calm, for there was only one person whom she ever felt that around.

"You know, it's not nice to try and scare me," she said, looking in the direction she felt the draw coming from.

"Sorry," Damon said, stepping closer to her.

"So, why are you hiding?" Elena asked.

"No reason. I wasn't actually planning on doing so, but I couldn't help it. I mean, it's like the perfect horror movie setting," Damon said.

"Well, next time, resist," Elena said. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you in you're cheer uniform, but the fact that you're not wearing it means..." Damon started.

"That I took you're advice," Elena said. "I'm not on the team anymore."

"And how do you feel about that?" Damon asked.

"Strange," she answered. "I feel a sense of nostalgia, but relieved at the same time."

"So no sadness over actually quitting," Damon said.

"Nope," she said.

"That's good to note," Damon said.

"So, now that you're reason for being here in the first place is shot, what do you plan on doing next," Elena said.

"Oh, I'm not sure right now," Damon said. "Since my original intention was shot, I've got to think of which of my other intentions I should move onto."

"You have other intentions," Elena said.

"Yep," Damon said. Once again, Elena noticed that they were slowly coming closer to each other.

"Do I figure into any of them?" Elena asked, her voice unintentionally husky as she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"Quite a few," he said, leaning down towards her.

"Which ones?"

"Those are secret, but I can tell you at least one of them...or, rather, show you," he said. Before she could say anything else, he wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her up a bit before sealing his mouth across hers. She whimpered against his lips, bringing her own arms up to wrap around his shoulders, threading her fingers through his hair to keep him where he was. She was quite content to stay in the position that she was in at the moment, and not move an inch.

Damon seemed to be thinking the same thing at the moment as well.

* * *

"Well, that's an interesting development," Tyler murmured, gaining the attention of Matt and Stefan.

"What?" Matt said, looking in the direction that Tyler was. His eyes widened as he felt his heart fracture at the sight that met his eyes.

"Apparently, it's not Stefan here who you have to worry about," Tyler said, motioning his head towards the guy who was standing halfway across the field.

"Who is that?" Matt asked.

"No idea. Maybe Bonnie or Caroline might be able to answer," Tyler said. "You should ask one of them once we get to the grill."

"I think I will," Matt murmured. He made a mental note to ask both of them, having noticed the strange distance between Bonnie and Elena. He had the feeling that Caroline would probably know more about what was going on than Bonnie at the moment.

* * *

"Isn't that nice?" Damon said, appearing right behind Stefan, after listening to the one human boy apologize to Stefan for some reason or another, and mention the game. "Stefan joins a team, makes a friend. It's all so 'rah, rah, go team, yeah!'"

"Not tonight," Stefan said. "I'm done with you."

"Ah, did little Stefan get a little show that he didn't want to see," Damon said.

"What are you doing with Elena?" Stefan asked.

"I would have thought that you would notice a seduction, even if you don't know how to do it yourself," Damon said. "I have to admit, it's been a while since I've seduced someone the old-fashioned way. Of course, it's not like I've needed to do much with her, I might just have to eat her of it stays this easy." He actually didn't mean this last part, only saying it to get a rise out of Stefan.

"No," Stefan said. "You're not going to hurt her, Damon."

"No?" Damon asked, narrowing his eyes, hating how Stefan could say that sounding so sure of himself...and feeling the need to prove him completely wrong, without actually hurting Elena.

"Because deep down instead, there is a part of you that truly does feel for her," Stefan continued, just saying the words that made it feel like acid was being poured over him. He disliked the idea of Damon being with Elena, but he couldn't deny that Damon had yet to show any sign of hurting her, something that he hope carried on when Elena was in his arms instead of Damon's. "I was worried that you had no humanity left inside you, that you may have actually become the monster that you pretend to be."

Almost immediately, Stefan sensed that he had said something wrong.

"Who's pretending?" Damon said.

"Then kill me," Stefan challenged, knowing that Damon wouldn't do it. No matter how much Damon said he hated Stefan, he'd yet to be able actually kill Stefan. Stefan could see that Damon was surprised by Stefan's actions.

"Well I'm...I'm tempted," Damon said, trying to hide his surprise. Damn if Stefan didn't know how to play his cards right. And Damon knew that the only problem Stefan might have with his death is what actions Damon would do without him there. However, with Stefan's perchance for guilt, perhaps her could turn this around to his favor. Damon could hear someone heading towards where they were, the muttering under their breaths making mention of Stefan.

"No, you're not," Stefan said, sounding smug. "You've had lifetimes to do it, and yet, here I am. I'm still alive. And there you are. You're still haunting me. After a hundred and forty-five years. Katherine is dead. Ad you hate me because you loved her, and you torture me because you still do. And that, my brother, is your humanity."

Before anything else could be said, Mr. Tanner appeared.

"Salvatore!" he said, having finally found Stefan, though the words that he'd just heard him utter confused him. "What the hell? We've got a game to play!"

Damon quickly flashed behind Mr. Tanner, grabbing him harshly as his teeth came out, his face becoming demonic, with his eyes going black and the veins underneath becoming prominent. Stefan's eyes widened as he realized just how badly his words were turning out to be.

"It that's my humanity...then what's this?" Damon asked, and, before anything could be said, he plunged his teeth into Mr. Tanner's neck.

Tanner screamed out as Stefan yelled out, "No!"

Damon tore his teeth from Tanner's neck, ignoring the floundering of the man as his blood spurted from the wound, for Damon had purposely torn into his jugular. Letting the body fall to the ground as Tanner's heart sputtered a bit before it stopped beating, Damon turned at looked at Stefan.

"Anyone, anytime, any place," he said, not having to elaborate what he meant. Then, he left, planning on changing his blood-soaked clothes before anyone had a chance to see them.

Stefan, knowing that being seen near the body wouldn't be good, hurried away, looking sick at the fact that it was his fault that Damon had done that. He headed to the field, playing the game and headed into the locker room with everyone else. He immediately picked up the tension coming off of Matt – probably in response to Tyler's actions tonight that almost cost them their win.

"Tanner's M.I.A. I think he had a little bit too much beer," Tyler said – he's noticed the teacher drinking earlier.

"Don't talk to me right now, all right? I'm pissed at you," Matt said, remembering overhearing Tyler speaking about his sister, and the way he'd done it.

"What's your problem?" Tyler asked.

"What's my... You're my problem, all right?" Matt said. "You're a bully. A freakin' twelve year old bully, man. And I'm sick of it. I mean, what was that about tonight? What's beating up the new guy going to prove? Or screwing with my sister or pummeling my girlfriend's kid brother."

"Girlfriend?" Tyler questioned. "Did you not see that display between her and that guy earlier? Look, I don't know how to tell you this, but she dumped your ass, and has obviously moved on. And are you for real? You want to hit me? I'm on your team."

"This was over the line. Even for you?" Matt said, leaving the room. As he was walking, he saw something on the ground. It looked like a shoe. Confused, he walked forward, only to feel nausea turn his stomach as he identified the shoe being still on a body, one whose throat looked ripped out. It took him a second to realize that the body he was seeing was Mr. Tanner's.

"Somebody, help!" he yelled out, catching Tyler's attention, who was just exiting the locker room.

"What – Oh!" Tyler said, going slightly green as he saw the body.

"Someone call the cops!" he shouted, as more people came out of the locker room. There was a scramble to head back in there so that they could do as Tyler said to do. It took a few moments before one of them were able to get patched through and connected to the police station. After explaining the situation, the guy had gotten a hold of the cops came out of the locker room.

"They said they'll be here in ten minutes," he said, looking anywhere but at the body. The bloodless body was disturbing to see.

* * *

In the parking lot, Elena looked over to where the people were gathered, watching as the police worked. Hearing someone behind her, she turned to see Damon standing there.

"What happened?" he asked, looking concerned. In a quiet voice, Elena told him about what Matt had discovered.

"Matt mentioned that the bite looked almost like the one his sister received, and I overheard one of the officers mention that it was most likely the same thing that had attacked his sister," Elena said. She shook he head. "What kind of animal could be doing all this? Why would it come out of the woods and attack someone in the middle of town?"

She sounded worried. Who was to say that the next person attacked wouldn't be her aunt, or, worse, her brother. While she knew that it was also logical that she herself might be attacked, she was more worried about what was left of her family. She'd already lost some members already. She couldn't stand it if she lost anyone else...

"I don't know," Damon said, wrapping her up in his arms. She went willingly, turning from that scene to bury her head in his chest, not seeing the fact that he didn't look upset at the carnage he'd caused. "I don't know," he repeated. When he sensed that she was about to move, he put on a concerned face, looking down at her.

I...I think that there's something strange...well, stranger, about you're brother," she said. "He ended up trying to stop a fight between Tyler and my brother, and... I swear that he was hurt during it. I saw a glass fragment in his hand, but when I saw it the next moment, his hand showed no sign of having been harmed."

"Don't worry about it," Damon said. While he would loved for Elena to be suspicious about Stefan, he knew that he himself would end up under the same magnifying glass as Stefan, and, in truth, if Elena was going to find out about his vampirism, it was going to be on his terms.

Elena looked down. "You know, when I heard that a body was found, I panicked," Elena said. "Before I found out who it was, I thought that it might have been you. I mean, I couldn't find you anywhere, and I'd already found my brother. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was glad when people mentioned that it was Mr. Tanner."

Damon wouldn't have admitted it, but he was touched that she had been worried about him.

"I'm fine," he said. "Stefan and I ended up almost fighting, and he wiped some blood on me – probably the blood you saw that made you think his hand was hurt – and I went to my car – which, unfortunately, I had to park pretty far away – in order to get a new shirt." Elena looked at the shirt he was wearing, noticing now that it wasn't the white one he'd been wearing earlier. "I'm going to be fine, okay? We're going to be fine, as is your family. That's all that matters."

Elena nodded her head before sighing.

"Take me home," she said.

"As you wish," he said.

* * *

When Stefan arrived at the boarding house, he went straight to his room, grabbing his diary and a pen before sitting down at his desk. Placing the pen to the paper, he wrote:

_I thought there was hope that somewhere deep inside, something in Damon was still human, normal. But I was wrong. There's nothing human left in Damon. No good, no kindness. No love. Only a monster. One who must be stopped._

He set the pen down after that, thinking about how he could get rid of his brother without him knowing of his plans. As he thought, his eyes looked at a picture that he kept on his desk, a picture of Katherine. He sighed, deciding to think about what to do after he'd rested for the night.

* * *

At Elena's house, Damon walked her to her door.

"So, will I see you tomorrow?" she asked. He smiled at her.

"Unless something comes up, yes, you will," he said, leaning down to peck her lips. "Goodnight."

"Good night," she repeated, watching him walk away from her before heading inside. Her aunt Jenna immediately appeared, looking worried.

"What happened?" she asked. "I heard the cops heading towards the school."

"There was another animal attack. Mr. Tanner's dead," Elena said, though her voice didn't quite portray the horror of that event, her mind still on Damon.

"Oh my god," Jenna said. "Are you sure?" Elena nodded her head, and Jenna shook her head, looking a bit saddened by the death. She might not have liked the man, but he didn't deserve to die the way that it seemed that he had.

"Well, hopefully this animal will be found before anyone else dies," Jenna murmured. Elena nodded her head, and Jenna finally took note of her distracted appearance.

"Did something else happen?" Jenna asked her, her voice hiding a smile. Elena, noticing the change in tone, looked at her aunt, a blush betraying her as much as the smile that crossed her face did.

"Maybe," she said.

"What was it?" Jenna demanded.

"Damon kissed me," Elena said, squealing a bit. Jenna smiled.

"So the night wasn't a complete nightmare then," she said. Elena shook her head.

"Well, good for you, then," Jenna said. "Damon might be a little old for you, but if he makes you feel like this, then I'm glad for you and him. But just know, if he hurts you..."

"Thanks Aunt Jenna," Elena said, smiling at her aunt's spoken blessing. She headed upstairs, writing in her diary for a little bit before getting dressed and crawling into bed, falling asleep within minutes. After her breath had deepened, her window was pushed opened silently, and Damon crawled into the room.

Going over to Elena's side, he stood there, looking at her with a serious expression on her face. He reached out, gently stroking her cheek with one finger for a moment. Elena stirred, and he froze, watching her. It looked like she would sleep on, but he saw her eyes flutter for a second, moments before she startled awake, sitting up fast while breathing heavily, unaware of what woke her up.

A quick scan around her room showed it devoid of anything, and she sighed, relaxing as she laid back down, falling back asleep, unaware of a crow sitting on a tree branch right outside her window, watching her every move as she slept.


End file.
